3 syllables: Suf, fo, cate. Stress on Suf.
SUHF-uh-kayt
/ˈsʌfəˌkeɪt/
Suffocate is pronounced SUHF-uh-kayt (/ˈsʌfəˌkeɪt/). It has three syllables (Suf-fo-cate), with the stress on "Suf". Suffocate is a verb meaning to die or cause to die by being deprived of air, or to feel unable to breathe due to crowding, smoke, or constraint. It can also describe a situation where someone is overwhelmed or stifled emotionally or practically. The pronunciation shifts slightly with stress and vowel quality in different accents, but the core meaning remains the same across contexts.
verbSuffocate is a verb meaning to die or cause to die by being deprived of air, or to feel unable to breathe due to crowding, smoke, or constraint. It can also describe a situation where someone is overwhelmed or stifled emotionally or practically. The pronunciation shifts slightly with stress and vowel quality in different accents, but the core meaning remains the same across contexts.
- You’re likely to misplace the primary stress, saying suf-FO-cate instead of suf-FO-cate; keep the second syllable stressed and maintain crisp consonants around it. - The /t/ at the end can be glided or dropped in casual speech; practice landing a clean voiceless alveolar stop /t/ instead of /d/ or a nasal. - Digraphs can trip you up: the sequence /f/ + /ə/ + /keɪ/ can blur into /fə/ + /kate/; practice with slowed enunciated phonemes to separate them. - Ensure the vowel in the second syllable remains clearly rounded; in some dialects it can become a more central vowel, which affects intelligibility. - In rapid speech, you may reduce the middle vowel; train with slow-to-normal tempo to retain the clean /ə/ then /keɪ/ rather than /kə/.
"The trapped hikers began to suffocate as the smoke filled the cave."
"He warned that the city's rules would suffocate small businesses."
"She felt suffocated by the endless meetings and strict schedule."
Pronounce it as sə-FOH-kayt (US/UK) or sə-FOH-kuh-t (more American). The primary stress lands on the second syllable: suf-FO-cate. IPA: US/UK: /səˈfəʊ.keɪt/ or /səˈfoʊ.keɪt/; in American fast speech you may hear /səˈfɑːkeɪt/. To articulate: start with a light /s/, move into a clear /f/ as the lips approximate, then the /oʊ/ or /ɒ/ vowel, and finish with a crisp /keɪt/ or /kət/ depending on pace. Audio reference: listen to standard dictionaries and pronunciation channels for the exact speaker’s voice.”,
Common errors: 1) Misplacing stress, saying suf-FO-cate vs. suf-FO-cate; keep the secondary vowels clear but do not elongate the first syllable. 2) Dropping the final /t/ or turning it into /d/, producing /-keɪd/. 3) Merging the /f/ and /o/ into an /p/ or fricative blend; ensure a clean /f/ followed by a rounded /oʊ/ or /ɒ/. Correction tips: practice with minimal pairs and slow tempo, emphasize the syllable boundary, and use voice your breath to land the final /t/ precisely.”,
In US: rhotic emphasis is subtler; often /səˈfə.keɪt/ with a clear /ə/ in first syllable and stressed second syllable; final /t/ is voiceless. UK: /səˈfəʊ.keɪt/ with more rounded /əʊ/ and slightly less rhotic influence depending on region; final /t/ often crisp. AU: /səˈfɒːkət/ or /səˈfɒkeɪt/ with broader vowel qualities; non-rhotic tendencies in some speakers may blur the final /t/ slightly. Remember, vowel quality shifts and rhotics affect the overall resonance. IPA references: US / səˈfoʊˌkeɪt/; UK /səˈfəʊ.keɪt/; AU /səˈfɒkət/ or /səˈfɒːkeɪt/.
Key challenges: the multi-syllabic stress pattern keeps attention on the second syllable; the sequence /f/ immediately after /s/ plus a rounded diphthong /oʊ/ or /ɒ/ can trip non-native speakers. The final /t/ adds a clipped ending that contrasts with the preceding vowel; in rapid speech it may reduce. Practice focusing on the transition from /f/ to /oʊ/ and ensure the final /t/ is audible. IPA cues: /səˈfəʊ.keɪt/ (UK) or /səˈfoʊ.keɪt/ (US).
A unique tip: anchor your tongue and lip positions early. For the second syllable, the mouth shape is rounded for the /oʊ/ or /əʊ/ and then transitions to a tight closure for the /t/. Visualize breathing out as you say the stressed syllable to ensure the air flow remains consistent and the mouth doesn’t close too early for the final /t/.
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- US: emphasize rhoticity lightly; the /ɹ/ is not prominent in this word, focus on the vowel quality of the second syllable and final /t/. Use /səˈfoʊ.keɪt/ with a clear /oʊ/ diphthong. - UK: keep a slightly higher vowel in the second syllable; /səˈfəʊ.keɪt/ with strong diphthong /əʊ/ and crisp final /t/. - AU: often broader vowels; you may hear /səˈfɒkət/ or /səˈfɔːkət/; avoid an overly tightened /ɒ/; allow a relaxed but distinct /t/ at the end. - General tips: practice with 3-step mouth map: /s/ with slight hiss, /ə/ neutral schwa, /ˈfoʊ/ or /ˈfəʊ/ rounded, then /keɪt/ or /kət/. IPA references help anchor the tongue placement.
Suffocate comes from the prefix sub- meaning under or up to, combined with the Latin facere ‘to make’ (from facere ‘to make, do’) and the suffix -ate to form a verb. The core element is from Latin suffocare, which itself is formed from sub- (under) + fuccare (to stuff, to cheat, archaic form from Latin off), though the direct Latin reconstruction is obscured by early modern usage. The modern English sense of “to cause to suffocate” emerged in the late Middle English period as medical and legal terminology expanded; by the 16th–17th centuries, suffocation as a physical condition and as a metaphor for being overwhelmed gained prominent usage. The term has since extended into figurative senses (e.g., rules that suffocate creativity) while retaining its primary meaning tied to deprivation of air. First known usage in English appears in medical texts discussing respiratory obstruction, with the sense solidifying through Early Modern English writings as urban environments necessitated more precise language for breathing-related danger. Over time, as literacy spread, suffocate also adopted broader figurative applications in literature and journalism, maintaining a consistent link to air, breath, and constraint across centuries.
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Words that rhyme with "Suffocate"
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