Asphyxiate: meaning, definitions and examples

Usually used in medical or technical contexts to describe a condition where someone is deprived of oxygen, leading to unconsciousness or death.

• The victims were asphyxiated by the toxic fumes from the fire.
• The technician explained that sealing the room could cause someone to asphyxiate.

Commonly used in everyday situations to describe someone having difficulty breathing because something is blocking their throat.

• She started to choke on a piece of food at the dinner table.
• He gave her the Heimlich maneuver to dislodge the object and stop her from choking.

Can be used in both literal and figurative senses; in a literal sense, it means to prevent someone from getting enough air, and in a figurative sense, it means to feel trapped or oppressed.

• Without ventilation, the miners could suffocate in the tunnels.
• He felt like the small, crowded room was making him suffocate.

Often used to describe a violent act of pressing someone's throat to stop them from breathing, typically with one's hands or a rope. It has a negative and aggressive connotation.

• The antagonist in the movie tried to strangle the hero in a fit of rage.
• She felt like her tight collar was strangling her.