asphyxiating

/æsˈfɪksiˌeɪtɪŋ/
verb
  1. Present participle of asphyxiate: causing someone or something to die or become unconscious by depriving them of air.
    • The thick smoke was asphyxiating the people trapped in the burning building.
    • The plastic bag accidentally asphyxiating the toddler was a tragic accident.
    • The lack of ventilation in the small room was slowly asphyxiating the workers.
adjective
  1. Causing or likely to cause suffocation; extremely stuffy or suffocating.
    • The asphyxiating heat in the attic made it impossible to breathe.
    • The asphyxiating pressure of the crowd made her feel faint.
    • They escaped the asphyxiating fumes by crawling to the window.
  2. Figuratively, extremely restrictive or overwhelming, as if cutting off freedom or life.
    • The asphyxiating rules of the strict school left no room for creativity.
    • Living in that small town felt asphyxiating to someone with big dreams.
    • She felt an asphyxiating sense of dread as the deadline approached.
Antonyms
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