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.
Inc.Examples of stranglehold in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
During the truce, Iran has maintained its stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz — a crucial passage for the world’s oil and natural gas and the primary reason global fuel prices skyrocketed.
—Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026
Even as travelers keep flying, airlines’ profits could be cut in half, thanks in part to the stranglehold Iran has imposed on the global oil supply, according to a global trade group for the industry.
—Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 8 June 2026
The bank was a founding partner of the Valkyries, who already rank as the WNBA’s most valuable team at $850 million; the Warriors are the NBA’s most valuable, unseating the Knicks’ stranglehold on the spot in 2023, per ’s rankings.
—Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 3 June 2026
With Disney’s stranglehold on the market, such investments might be fruitless.
—HubSpot, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for stranglehold
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Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026
Even as travelers keep flying, airlines’ profits could be cut in half, thanks in part to the stranglehold Iran has imposed on the global oil supply, according to a global trade group for the industry.
—Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 8 June 2026
The bank was a founding partner of the Valkyries, who already rank as the WNBA’s most valuable team at $850 million; the Warriors are the NBA’s most valuable, unseating the Knicks’ stranglehold on the spot in 2023, per ’s rankings.
—Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 3 June 2026
With Disney’s stranglehold on the market, such investments might be fruitless.
—HubSpot, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for stranglehold
Cite this Entry
“Stranglehold.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stranglehold. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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