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# suffocate

verb (suffocate, suffocates, suffocated, suffocating)

«suffocate» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. To suffocate is to be unable to breathe because there is not enough air, which can make a person or animal very ill or die. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/suffocate/#m1)
2. To suffocate someone or something is to stop it getting air. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/suffocate/#m2)
3. To feel suffocated is to feel trapped or held back, or very hot and stuffy. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/suffocate/#m3)

### In the lessons

Very important in safety lessons: plastic bags are not toys, because they can cover the nose and mouth and suffocate a child; never shut anyone or a pet in a box, fridge or car. In science, fire needs oxygen, so a fire blanket suffocates flames. Phrases: «suffocating heat».

### Examples

- Plastic bags can suffocate small children, so never play with them. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/suffocate/#x1)
- A fire blanket suffocates the flames by keeping air out. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/suffocate/#x2)
- Never leave a dog in a hot car; it could suffocate. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/suffocate/#x3)
- The heat in the tent was suffocating. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/suffocate/#x4)
- Weeds can suffocate the young plants. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/suffocate/#x5)
- Keep pillows and soft toys out of a baby's cot so it can't suffocate. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/suffocate/#x6)
- He felt suffocated in the crowded room. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/suffocate/#x7)
- Their feet, however, became so smeared with the honey that they could not use their wings, nor release themselves, and were suffocated. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/suffocate/#x8)

### Note

Regular verb: drop the e: «suffocated», «suffocating». Spelling: double f. Fires need oxygen, so cutting off air puts them out. If someone cannot breathe, call emergency services at once.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «suffocate» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/suffocate/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«suffocate» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/suffocate.html) on Mova free.