stranglehold

noun

stran·​gle·​hold ˈstraŋ-gəl-ˌhōld 

1

: an illegal wrestling hold by which one's opponent is choked

2

: a force or influence that stops something from growing or developing

… opened three stores within a year and got a stranglehold on market share.

—Inc.

Examples of stranglehold in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Wisconsin turned an already commanding 34-21 first-half stranglehold into a 21-point lead 5 1/2 minutes into the second half. —ABC News, 4 Mar. 2026

The Tommies entered the weekend looking to take a stranglehold on the CCHA regular season title. —Dean Spiros, Twin Cities, 22 Feb. 2026

Uncovering the true number of deaths, experts say, will be difficult given the supreme leader’s stranglehold on information in Iran. —Michael Loria, USA Today, 21 Feb. 2026

Moe’s entire tenure coincided with the Lakers’ stranglehold on the West. —Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 17 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1893, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for stranglehold

• copyhold
• decontrolled
• hundredfold
• manifold
• marigold
• oversold
• petioled
• sevenfold
• subthreshold
• thousandfold
• uncontrolled
• ahold

Kids Definition

stranglehold

noun

stran·​gle·​hold ˈstraŋ-gəl-ˌhōld 

1

: an illegal wrestling hold by which one's opponent is choked

2

: a force or influence that chokes or blocks freedom of development or expression