What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
sufflate
Example
He used a bicycle pump to sufflate the air mattress. [sufflate: verb]
Example
The paramedic had to sufflate the patient's lungs to keep them alive. [sufflating: gerund or present participle]
insufflate
Example
The doctor had to insufflate the medication into the patient's nasal cavity. [insufflate: verb]
Example
During the surgery, the surgeon used insufflation to create space in the abdominal cavity. [insufflation: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Insufflate is more commonly used than sufflate in everyday language, especially in medical contexts. Sufflate is more technical and less common, and is mostly used in scientific or industrial contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between sufflate and insufflate?
Both sufflate and insufflate are formal words, but insufflate is more commonly used in medical and clinical contexts, making it more formal in those settings.
