choking

adjective

chok·​ing ˈchō-kiŋ 

1

: producing the feeling of strangulation

a choking cloud of smog

2

: indistinct in utterance

—used especially of a person's voice

a low choking laugh

chokingly

ˈchō-kiŋ-lē 

adverb

Examples of choking in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Experts and reporters at the investigative news magazine Mother Jones have found videos showing toddlers swallowing whole grapes (a choking hazard), infants eating honey (which carries a risk of botulism), and children riding unrestrained in the front seat of a moving car. —Dana Suskind, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026

Use only a light sprinkle of dry seeds; consuming too many can cause choking or intestinal blockages. 5. —Sohaib Imtiaz, Verywell Health, 27 Apr. 2026

Certain items can be toxic to birds or pose a choking or strangulation hazard. —Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 10 Mar. 2026

In a recent Facebook post, the actor, whose relative Henry Heimlich created the anti-choking procedure, explained the connection between Happy Days and the maneuver. —Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1556, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for choking

• broking
• cloaking
• coking
• croaking
• joking
• poking
• smoking
• soaking
• stoking
• stroking
• evoking
• invoking