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Suffocate vs Muffle - What's the difference?

suffocate | muffle |

In lang=en terms the difference between suffocate and muffle

is that suffocate is to destroy; to extinguish while muffle is to mute or deaden (a sound etc).

As verbs the difference between suffocate and muffle

is that suffocate is (ergative) to suffer, or cause someone to suffer, from severely reduced oxygen intake to the body while muffle is to wrap (a person, face etc) in fabric or another covering, for warmth or protection; often with up .

As an adjective suffocate

is (obsolete) suffocated; choked.

As a noun muffle is

anything that mutes or deadens sound.

suffocate

English

Verb

(suffocat)
  • (ergative) To suffer, or cause someone to suffer, from severely reduced oxygen intake to the body.
    • Open the hatch, he is suffocating in the airlock!
  • (ergative) To die due to, or kill someone by means of, insufficient oxygen supply to the body.
    • He suffocated his wife by holding a pillow over her head.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Let not hemp his windpipe suffocate .
  • (ergative, figuratively) To overwhelm, or be overwhelmed (by a person or issue), as though with oxygen deprivation.
    • I'm suffocating under this huge workload.
  • To destroy; to extinguish.
    • to suffocate fire

    Synonyms

    * (To suffer from reduced oxygen) asphyxiate * (To die from insufficient oxygen) stifle * (To be overwhelmed) drown * (To reduce oxygen supply) asphyxiate, smother * (To kill by deprivation of oxygen) asphyxiate, stifle * (To make weary with contact) smother

    Derived terms

    * suffocation

    Related terms

    * asphyxia

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (obsolete) Suffocated; choked.
    • (Shakespeare)

    External links

    * * * English ergative verbs ----

    muffle

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Anything that mutes or deadens sound.
  • A warm piece of clothing for the hands.
  • A kiln or furnace, often electric, with no direct flames (a muffle furnace)
  • The bare end of the nose between the nostrils, especially in ruminants.

    • Verb

    (muffl)
  • To wrap (a person, face etc.) in fabric or another covering, for warmth or protection; often with up .
  • * Addison
    • The face lies muffled up within the garment.
  • * Dryden
    • He muffled with a cloud his mournful eyes.
  • * Arbuthnot
    • muffled up in darkness and superstition
  • To wrap up or cover (a source of noise) in order to deaden the sound.
    • to muffle the strings of a drum, or that part of an oar which rests in the rowlock
  • To mute or deaden (a sound etc.).
  • * 1999 , (George RR Martin), A Clash of Kings , Bantam 2011, p. 397:
    • The singer's voice was muffled by the thick walls, yet Tyrion knew the verse.
  • (dated) To speak indistinctly, or without clear articulation.
  • (dated) To prevent seeing, or hearing, or speaking, by wraps bound about the head; to blindfold; to deafen.