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Glite Dictionary
to asphyxiate

to asphyxiate

13 9.3
To prevent a person or animal from breathing by taking away air
  • verb
  • /əˈsfɪkʃiˌeɪt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : asfixiar
  • He was trapped in the small space and began to asphyxiate due to the lack of fresh air.

Examples

  • A space heater tipped over, caught fire, and both children were asphyxiated.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • You've nearly asphyxiated six of our residents already.

    Come Play with Me (1977)

  • You tried to asphyxiate her.

    Tyrannosaurus Azteca (2007)

  • In less than a minute, you're gonna asphyxiate and pass out.

    Smokin' Aces (2006)

  • The animals could have been asphyxiated.

    Mrs. Ashboro's Cat (2003)

  • Dave didn't reinstall one of the dome's two air recycling canisters properly after he recharged it and nearly asphyxiated them all in their sleep.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • Just as the canary's death told the miners they had to get out of the mine or be asphyxiated by noxious fumes, so sensitive populations forewarn us of danger while there is still time to do something about it.

    Academic text (1996)

  • If the smoke continues to fill the room, it could asphyxiate everyone inside.

  • During the experiment, they realized that the closed environment could quickly asphyxiate the mice.

Synonyms

to choke
vsto asphyxiate
  • NSFW
264 3.7

To be unable to breathe because something blocks the throat or neck

covers any method of oxygen loss, not only airway blockage
to strangle
vsto asphyxiate
  • Offensive
209 6.2

To kill or injure someone by squeezing their throat and stopping breathing

is broader, applying to all ways of depriving oxygen, not only squeezing
to drown
vsto asphyxiate
  • NSFW
123 1.4

Make a person or animal die by holding them under water so they cannot breathe

refers to breathing prevention in any setting, not only underwater cases
to suffocate
vsto asphyxiate
  • NSFW
81 6.1

To have no air to breathe or to stop someone from getting air

prevents breathing by depriving oxygen, often causing death
to smother
vsto asphyxiate
  • NSFW
26 6.4

To stop someone breathing by covering their nose and mouth

is the general medical term for oxygen deprivation leading to death
to stifle
vsto asphyxiate
  • NSFW
7 6.6

To stop a person from breathing so they cannot get air

has identical core meaning and is used in the same contexts
to strangulate
vsto asphyxiate
  • Offensive
9.6

To kill someone by squeezing their throat so they cannot breathe

is more general and includes causes beyond throat compression

How Severe

to asphyxiate
  • Specialized
13 9.3
to suffocate
  • NSFW
81 6.1
to choke
  • NSFW
264 3.7
to gag
5 5.1

Surface Forms

asphyxiate infinitive
asphyxiated past
asphyxiated past participle
asphyxiating present participle
asphyxiates third person singular

Morphology

asphyxiate = asphyxia (opaque) = a + sphyx + iate

The verb is regularly formed from the noun 'asphyxia' with the suffix '-iate', a predictable process, but both the base and suffix are medical/technical and not familiar to average learners.

Etymology

Asphyxiate comes from Greek parts a- meaning 'without' and sphyxis meaning 'pulse'. So it literally meant being 'without a pulse', which helps you remember that to asphyxiate is to stop someone's breathing or make them suffocate.