· deprive of oxygen and prevent from breathing; "Othello smothered Desdemona with a pillow"; "The child suffocated herself with a plastic bag that the parents had left on the floor"

Synonym(s): smother, asphyxiate

Hypernym(s): kill

· impair the respiration of or obstruct the air passage of; "The foul air was slowly suffocating the children"

Synonym(s): stifle, asphyxiate, choke

Hypernym(s): obstruct, obturate, impede, occlude, jam, block, close_up

· become stultified, suppressed, or stifled; "He is suffocating--living at home with his aged parents in the small village"

Synonym(s): choke

Hypernym(s): become, turn

· suppress the development, creativity, or imagination of; "His job suffocated him"

Synonym(s): choke

Hypernym(s): stifle, dampen

· be asphyxiated; die from lack of oxygen; "The child suffocated under the pillow"

Synonym(s): stifle, asphyxiate

Hypernym(s): die, decease, perish, go, exit, pass_away, expire, pass, kick_the_bucket, cash_in_one%27s_chips, buy_the_farm, conk, give-up_the_ghost, drop_dead, pop_off, choke, croak, snuff_it

· feel uncomfortable for lack of fresh air; "The room was hot and stuffy and we were suffocating"

Hypernym(s): feel

· struggle for breath; have insufficient oxygen intake; "he swallowed a fishbone and gagged"

Synonym(s): gag, choke, strangle

Hypernym(s): suffer, hurt