chokes; choked; choking
1
: to become unable to breathe usually because something gets stuck in your throat or because the air is not good for breathing
Chew your food well so you don't choke.
She choked to death. = She died by choking.
We were choking on fumes.
2
a
: to cause (someone) to stop breathing by squeezing the throat
The murderer choked his victim (to death).
b
: to make (someone) unable to breathe in a normal way
The thick smoke was choking me.
Note: If you or your voice is choked with emotion, rage, etc., you are feeling emotion in such a strong way that it is hard for you to talk.
3
: to stop (something) from growing or developing
The flowers were choked by the weeds.
—often + outThe flowers were choked out by the weeds.
4
: to fill (something) completely so that movement is stopped or slowed
Leaves choked [=clogged, blocked] the drain.
The streets were choked with traffic.
—often + upLogs were choking up the stream.
5
informal
: to fail to do something well because you are very nervous
When the pressure was on, the tennis star choked and lost the match.
Cite this Entry
“Choke.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/choke. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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