choke up

phrasal verb

choked up; choking up; chokes up
1
: to have trouble talking because of crying or strong emotion
He chokes up whenever he tries to talk about the accident.
2
baseball : to move one's hands to a higher position on a baseball bat
often + on
He choked up on the bat and took a short swing.

Examples of choke up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Jimmy Kimmel chokes up over Charlie Kirk's widow Erika in emotional monologue. Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 24 Sep. 2025 Kimmel delivered an opening monologue – occasionally choking up – that ranged across everything from jokes to the importance of the First Amendment. Luciana Lopez, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025 In his comments Thursday, Kershaw thanked the Dodgers’ organization, the training staff and coaches, then got choked up and shed some tears when speaking about his family and his teammates. Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 18 Sep. 2025 Theresa can be heard choking up as her mom unwraps the gift. Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for choke up

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Choke up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/choke%20up. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!