as in to choke
to keep (someone) from breathing by exerting pressure on the windpipe
I was so angry at what he was saying that I could have throttled him!
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of throttle
Mansfield Legacy throttles Crowley Mansfield Legacy piled on the hits against Crowley Friday, seizing a 17-1 victory in a game that ended after three innings.
—
Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Apr. 2026
Before traffic was effectively throttled in the Strait of Hormuz, the case for green hydrogen was harder to make.
—Natasha Bracken, semafor.com, 7 Apr. 2026
After a competitive first half, the Huskies throttled the Illini, 77-52.
—Scott Dochterman, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
Pittsburgh throttled the Islanders on Monday, 8-3.
—Michael Guise, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for throttle
Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Apr. 2026
Before traffic was effectively throttled in the Strait of Hormuz, the case for green hydrogen was harder to make.
—Natasha Bracken, semafor.com, 7 Apr. 2026
After a competitive first half, the Huskies throttled the Illini, 77-52.
—Scott Dochterman, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
Pittsburgh throttled the Islanders on Monday, 8-3.
—Michael Guise, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for throttle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for throttle
Verb
-
The younger girl was able to escape and get help as Gaff began choking her sister with the electrical cord.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
17 Apr. 2026
-
The pledges had to fight him, almost choke him out.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Dispatchers told officers that the man who called 911 confessed to strangling his grandmother to death, McCabe said.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
18 Apr. 2026
-
This caused an argument to break out between the two, during which McFarlin strangled Divodi-Lessa.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
18 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Throttle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/throttle. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
