Currently causing or tending to cause asphyxia; stifling or suffocating in effect.
Present participle of 'asphyxiate,' formed with the '-ing' suffix, creating both verb and adjective forms.
Writers love 'asphyxiating' because it works metaphorically—you can describe oppressive situations, tight spaces, or even boring conversations as 'asphyxiating' without anyone actually suffocating.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.