asphyxia
noun
as·phyx·ia
as-ˈfik-sē-ə 
əs-
1
: a lack of oxygen or excess of carbon dioxide in the body that results in unconsciousness and often death and is usually caused by interruption of breathing or inadequate oxygen supply
2
: the state of being stifled or suppressed
As a patient in hospital I felt both anguish and asphyxia—the anguish of being confronted with dissolution, and asphyxia because I could not be heard.—
Oliver Sacks
Oliver SacksExamples of asphyxia in a Sentence
The cause of death was asphyxia.
Recent Examples on the Web
Blount was one of 10 people who died of compression asphyxia at the beginning of Travis Scott‘s set at Astroworld in Houston in November of 2021.
—Ethan Millman, Rolling Stone, 15 May 2024
Compression asphyxia is a type of mechanical asphyxia in which a physical force outside of the body deprives it of oxygen.1
Asphyxiation causes symptoms like an inability to speak, bluish skin color, and trouble breathing.2 Call 911 right away if someone's experiencing compression asphyxia.
—Korin Miller, Health, 10 May 2024
The attorney said that during the encounter, the officers ignored the risks associated with positional asphyxia by pinning Nunis to the ground.
—City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Apr. 2024
Ill-fitting car seats and loose car seat straps can cause a baby to slump over, putting them at risk for positional asphyxia.
—Lauren Liebhaber, Kansas City Star, 11 Apr. 2024
Although no neck injuries were detected at autopsy, an asphyxia cause of death cannot be excluded.
—Dateline Nbc, NBC News, 6 Mar. 2024
The medical examiner ruled the baby’s cause of death mechanical asphyxia and the manner of death homicide.
—Kc Baker, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024
Kilman, of Columbia Falls, Montana, died of asphyxia by manual strangulation, according to preliminary autopsy results, the Taylor County Coroner’s Office said Monday.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 26 Feb. 2024
The autopsy report cited complications of asphyxia and excited delirium among the factors that contributed to Prude’s death.
—Kaitlyn Schwanemann, CNN, 15 Feb. 2024
Ethan Millman, Rolling Stone, 15 May 2024
Compression asphyxia is a type of mechanical asphyxia in which a physical force outside of the body deprives it of oxygen.1
Asphyxiation causes symptoms like an inability to speak, bluish skin color, and trouble breathing.2 Call 911 right away if someone's experiencing compression asphyxia.
—Korin Miller, Health, 10 May 2024
The attorney said that during the encounter, the officers ignored the risks associated with positional asphyxia by pinning Nunis to the ground.
—City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Apr. 2024
Ill-fitting car seats and loose car seat straps can cause a baby to slump over, putting them at risk for positional asphyxia.
—Lauren Liebhaber, Kansas City Star, 11 Apr. 2024
Although no neck injuries were detected at autopsy, an asphyxia cause of death cannot be excluded.
—Dateline Nbc, NBC News, 6 Mar. 2024
The medical examiner ruled the baby’s cause of death mechanical asphyxia and the manner of death homicide.
—Kc Baker, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024
Kilman, of Columbia Falls, Montana, died of asphyxia by manual strangulation, according to preliminary autopsy results, the Taylor County Coroner’s Office said Monday.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 26 Feb. 2024
The autopsy report cited complications of asphyxia and excited delirium among the factors that contributed to Prude’s death.
—Kaitlyn Schwanemann, CNN, 15 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'asphyxia.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near asphyxia
Cite this Entry
“Asphyxia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/asphyxia. Accessed 28 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
asphyxia
noun
as·phyx·ia
as-ˈfik-sē-ə
: a lack of oxygen or excess of carbon dioxide in the body usually caused by interruption of breathing or insufficient oxygen supply and resulting in unconsciousness and often death
Medical Definition
asphyxia
noun
as·phyx·ia
as-ˈfik-sē-ə, əs-
: a lack of oxygen or excess of carbon dioxide in the body that is usually caused by interruption of breathing and that causes unconsciousness compare suffocation
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