choke

play

verb \ˈchōk\

Definition of choke

choked

;

choking

transitive verb
1 : to check or block normal breathing of by compressing or obstructing the trachea or by poisoning or adulterating available air The unwary guard was choked to death by a prisoner.
2a : to check or hinder the growth, development, or activity of The flowers were choked by the weeds.b : to obstruct by filling up or clogging Leaves choked the drain.c : to fill completely : jam roads choked with traffic
3 : to enrich the fuel mixture of (a motor) by partially shutting off the air intake of the carburetor
4 : to grip (something, such as a baseball bat) some distance from the end of the handle —usually used with up The batter choked up the bat and cut down his swing.
intransitive verb
1 : to become choked in breathing He choked on a bone.
2a : to become obstructed or checkedb : to become or feel constricted (see constrict 1) in the throat (as from strong emotion) —usually used with up choked up and couldn't finish the speech
3 : to shorten one's grip especially on the handle of a bat —usually used with up
4 : to lose one's composure and fail to perform effectively in a critical situation had a chance to win the game but he choked

See choke defined for English-language learners

See choke defined for kids

Examples of choke in a Sentence

Chew your food well so you don't choke.
We were choking on fumes.
The thick smoke was choking me.
The flowers were choked by the weeds.

Recent Examples of choke from the Web

A post-mortem examination revealed that Mikey had choked in his sleep, but the exact cause wasn't determined.

— caroline picard, Good Housekeeping, "Don't Go to Bed Angry, Widow Warns After Husband Reportedly Dies on Couch," 11 July 2017
BCBG Max Azria BCBG Max Azria Group filed for bankruptcy protection, choked by a huge debt load The electronics retailer was unable to adjust to the Amazon era, unlike rival Best Buy (bby).

— phil wahba, Fortune, "True Religion Joins Growing List of 2017 Retail Bankruptcies," 5 July 2017
This spot, like many on the Brule and other rivers in the state, had become choked with silt; trout reproduction was drastically reduced.

— paul a. smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Smith: Retired fisheries biologist shares wonder of Brule River's underwater world," 1 July 2017
The girl was still choking, and Gonzalez performed the Heimlich, saving Rodgers' life.

— CBS News, "N.J. waitress saves choking 9-year-old girl," 27 June 2017
China, whose cities are choked by air pollution, may lead the way.

— The Christian Science Monitor, "Renewable energy at a ‘tipping point’," 27 June 2017
Sonnen was choked out by Tito Ortiz in his Bellator debut in January.

— dan gelston, chicagotribune.com, "Chael Sonnen tops Wanderlei Silva in unanimous decision at Bellator in New York," 25 June 2017
A safety recall targets more than 200,000 Britax car seats over concerns that a chest clip could break off and create a choking hazard.

— don sweeney, sacbee, "Safety recall targets 200,000 child car seats," 22 June 2017
Later, as Ms. Putman got into Ms. Moreland’s Honda Civic, Mr. Hodgkinson opened the car door, turned off the ignition, slashed her seatbelt with a pocketknife and ultimately tried to choke his grandniece, the police said.

— julie turkewitz, sheryl gay stolberg, john eligon and alan blinder, New York Times, "Before the Gunfire in Virginia, a Volatile Home Life in Illinois," 17 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'choke.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of choke

Middle English, alteration of achoken, from Old English ācēocian, from ā-, perfective prefix + cēoce, cēace jaw, cheek — more at abide, cheek

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

choke

noun

Definition of choke

1 [by folk etymology from artichoke] : the filamentous inedible center of an artichoke flower head; broadly : an artichoke flower head
2 : something that obstructs passage or flow: such asa : a valve for choking (see ¹choke 3) a gasoline engineb : a constriction in an outlet (as of an oil well) that restricts flowc : reactor 2d : a constriction (such as a narrowing of the barrel or an attachment) at the muzzle (see ¹muzzle 3) of a shotgun that serves to limit the spread of shot
3 : the act of choking A few chokes dislodged the food in her throat.

See choke defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of choke from the Web

Wrestling has put the rap game in a choke hold on more than one occasion.

— rob ledonne, Billboard, "From Action Bronson to Cam'ron: 11 Wrestling-Inspired Rap Songs," 19 June 2017
But its location across from the Indiana Jones attraction has long been a choke point for crowds that also has to make their way around the entrance to the Tarzan’s Treehouse attraction to get to New Orleans Square and points beyond.

— mark eades, Orange County Register, "Disneyland’s renovating Adventureland to ease crowd congestion," 9 June 2017
The restaurant leaves the choke intact to be removed by the diner when eating.

— claire perez, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Stuffed artichokes a Runway 84 classic," 9 June 2017
Some natural growth has started this spring, including choke cherries popping up from the dirt.

— tom holm, idahostatesman, "Fish and Game will spend years rehabbing Tex Creek area to keep elk out of trouble," 5 June 2017
SP also mentions the 850-stall parking garage pitched by OVG would cost $47 million to build — with OVG seeking an undisclosed Port of Seattle subsidy for it — and would create an additional traffic choke point.

— geoff baker, The Seattle Times, "Seattle arena ‘comparisons’ have valid points but also are open to selective interpretation," 28 May 2017
Washington (CNN)Greg Gianforte's choke-slam of reporter Ben Jacobs on Wednesday night -- and the ensuing assault charge -- might not cost him a victory in today's Montana special election.

— chris cillizza, CNN, "Greg Gianforte's assault charge puts Republicans in a lose-lose situation in Montana," 25 May 2017
Evil planned it out carefully, making the bomb, and then selecting that spot outside the concert venue at Manchester, waiting in what terrorism experts say was a choke point, to maximize the damage.

— john kass, chicagotribune.com, "Every parent is thinking of Manchester today," 23 May 2017
The group of mothers who’d led the charge against HANO as young adults themselves began to watch a generation of their grandchildren grow up in their homes and choke on the same lead dust.

— vann r. newkirk ii, The Atlantic, "The Poisoned Generation," 21 May 2017

Origin and Etymology of choke

see ¹choke

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1736

See Words from the same year

Other Automotive Terms

articulated, block, clutch, diesel, neutral, transmission

CHOKE Defined for English Language Learners

choke

play

verb

Definition of choke for English Language Learners

: to become unable to breathe usually because something gets stuck in your throat or because the air is not good for breathing
: to cause (someone) to stop breathing by squeezing the throat
: to make (someone) unable to breathe in a normal way

choke

noun

Definition of choke for English Language Learners

: a part in a vehicle that controls the flow of air into the engine

CHOKE Defined for Kids

choke

play

verb \ˈchōk\

Definition of choke for Students

choked

;

choking

1 : to keep from breathing in a normal way by cutting off the supply of air Many people were choked by thick smoke.
2 : to have the trachea blocked entirely or partly He nearly choked on a bone.
3 : to slow or prevent the growth or action of The flowers were choked by weeds.
4 : to block by clogging Leaves choked the sewer.

choke down

: to eat with difficulty I choked down a bite.

choke up

: to become too emotional to speak

Medical Dictionary

choke

play

verb \ˈchōk\

Medical Definition of choke

choked

;

choking

transitive verb

: to keep from breathing in a normal way by compressing or obstructing the trachea or by poisoning or adulterating available air

intransitive verb

: to have the trachea blocked entirely or partly

choke

noun

Medical Definition of choke

1: the act of choking
2chokes plural : pulmonary manifestations of decompression sickness including shortness of breath, chest pain, and cough—used with the