suffocate🔊

(ergative) To suffer, or cause someone to suffer, from severely reduced oxygen intake to the body.

(ergative) To die due to, or kill someone by means of, insufficient oxygen supply to the body.

(figuratively) To overwhelm, or be overwhelmed (by a person or issue), as though with oxygen deprivation.

To destroy; to extinguish.

(as a participle) Suffocated, choked.

(obsolete) Smothered, overwhelmed.