suffocate
verb
Key Types & categories Parts & wholes Related & opposite
- Word type
- noun
- verb
- adjective
- adverb
- Line style
- core relation
- instance, member or derived
- substance, domain or see-also
- Direction
- arrow points to the broader concept
- dashed outline: no word in this language
- Click any word to expand it.
Senses
Sense 1 verb
deprive of oxygen and prevent from breathing
Othello smothered Desdemona with a pillow
Types & categories
- kill hypernym
Related & opposite
- suffocation derivation
- asphyxia derivation
- asphyxiation derivation
- cover entails
- asphyxiate verb group
Sense 2 verb
impair the respiration of or obstruct the air passage of
The foul air was slowly suffocating the children
Types & categories
- obturate hypernym
Related & opposite
- asphyxia derivation
- asphyxiation derivation
- choking derivation
- smothering derivation
Sense 3 verb
become stultified, suppressed, or stifled
He is suffocating--living at home with his aged parents in the small village
Types & categories
- become hypernym
Related & opposite
- suffocate verb group
Sense 4 verb
suppress the development, creativity, or imagination of
His job suffocated him
Types & categories
- dampen hypernym
Related & opposite
- suffocate verb group
Sense 5 verb
be asphyxiated; die from lack of oxygen
The child suffocated under the pillow
Types & categories
Related & opposite
- suffocation derivation
- asphyxia derivation
- asphyxiation derivation
- smothering derivation
- suffocate verb group
Sense 6 verb
feel uncomfortable for lack of fresh air
The room was hot and stuffy and we were suffocating
Types & categories
- feel hypernym
Related & opposite
- smothering derivation
Sense 7 verb
struggle for breath; have insufficient oxygen intake
he swallowed a fishbone and gagged
Types & categories
- suffer hypernym
Related & opposite
- asphyxiation derivation
- choking derivation
- smothering derivation
Table view of this graph
| Sense | Relation | Group | Word |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | derivation | Related & opposite | suffocation |
| 1 | derivation | Related & opposite | asphyxia |
| 1 | derivation | Related & opposite | asphyxiation |
| 1 | entails | Related & opposite | cover |
| 1 | verb group | Related & opposite | asphyxiate |
| 1 | hypernym | Types & categories | kill |
| 2 | derivation | Related & opposite | asphyxia |
| 2 | derivation | Related & opposite | asphyxiation |
| 2 | derivation | Related & opposite | choking |
| 2 | derivation | Related & opposite | smothering |
| 2 | hypernym | Types & categories | obturate |
| 3 | verb group | Related & opposite | suffocate |
| 3 | hypernym | Types & categories | become |
| 4 | verb group | Related & opposite | suffocate |
| 4 | hypernym | Types & categories | dampen |
| 5 | derivation | Related & opposite | suffocation |
| 5 | derivation | Related & opposite | asphyxia |
| 5 | derivation | Related & opposite | asphyxiation |
| 5 | derivation | Related & opposite | smothering |
| 5 | verb group | Related & opposite | suffocate |
| 5 | hypernym | Types & categories | die |
| 5 | hyponym | Types & categories | strangle |
| 6 | derivation | Related & opposite | smothering |
| 6 | hypernym | Types & categories | feel |
| 7 | derivation | Related & opposite | asphyxiation |
| 7 | derivation | Related & opposite | choking |
| 7 | derivation | Related & opposite | smothering |
| 7 | hypernym | Types & categories | suffer |