Asphyxy, also known as asphyxiation, is a medical condition characterized by the lack of oxygen supply to the body, leading to unconsciousness and ultimately, death. Various synonyms can be used to describe this condition, such as suffocation, apnea, choking, smothering, and strangulation. Each term implies a different cause of asphyxy, with suffocation referring to the deprivation of air, apnea to the interruption of breathing, choking to the blocking of the air passage, smothering to the covering of the airways, and strangulation to the compression of the neck. These terms are often used in medical and legal contexts, as well as in everyday language to describe the sensation of breathlessness or impending doom.