Smother vs. suffocate: what’s the difference?
The short answer
Smother often implies covering something completely, which can lead to suffocation, but it also means overwhelming someone with excessive attention, affection, or elements. It has a broader usage, encompassing both positive and negative contexts. Suffocate specifically refers to the inability to breathe due to lack of air or obstruction and is primarily used in negative contexts to describe situations where someone or something is deprived of air or freedom.
What they have in common
Both smother and suffocate involve causing difficulty in breathing due to obstruction or lack of air. They can be used literally to describe physical situations where breathing is hindered, and figuratively to express feelings of being overwhelmed or oppressed.
Examples
smother
- She used a blanket to smother the fire.
- His mother tended to smother him with affection.
- The dense fog seemed to smother the entire town.
suffocate
- The trapped miners feared they would suffocate without proper ventilation.
- She felt like she was going to suffocate in the cramped, crowded room.
- Plants can suffocate if their roots are waterlogged and lack access to oxygen.
Which one is more common?
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