1
as in strangling
to keep (someone) from breathing by exerting pressure on the windpipe
let go of my throat—you're choking me!
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in vomiting
to experience complete or partial blockage of the windpipe
the recommended procedure for helping someone who is choking
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in drowning
to be or cause to be killed by lack of breathable air
thick, black smoke choked the trapped firefighters
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in blocking
to prevent passage through by filling with something
overgrown bushes choked the narrow alleyway between the buildings
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of choking
Now, if only Herbert could stop choking in the playoffs.
—
Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 22 Mar. 2026
He was arrested at multiple conventions, as well as for choking his then-girlfriend in 2015.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 21 Mar. 2026
Videos on social media of people intentionally choking themselves to get a brief euphoric high, often called the blackout challenge, have been circulating for years.
—J.d. Miles, CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026
And the skeptics say this is all corporate hype chasing billions in investment while the actual tech sputters with hallucinations and errors, choking on real-world problems.
—Joe Hagan, Vanity Fair, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for choking
Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 22 Mar. 2026
He was arrested at multiple conventions, as well as for choking his then-girlfriend in 2015.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 21 Mar. 2026
Videos on social media of people intentionally choking themselves to get a brief euphoric high, often called the blackout challenge, have been circulating for years.
—J.d. Miles, CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026
And the skeptics say this is all corporate hype chasing billions in investment while the actual tech sputters with hallucinations and errors, choking on real-world problems.
—Joe Hagan, Vanity Fair, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for choking
Recent Examples of Synonyms for choking
Verb
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In early January 2025, police were called to the Aliquippa VFW when Ours was accused of repeatedly punching and strangling another man, later identified as Preston Coleman.—
Mike Darnay,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
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Jorge Landeros, 56, was sentenced to 25 years in prison more than a decade after reportedly fatally beating and strangling a 52-year-old American University accounting professor in her Maryland home.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Worrisome symptoms that warrant a call to a doctor include dizziness, ongoing diarrhea with a fever over 102 degrees and an inability to keep liquids down without vomiting.—
Erika Edwards,
NBC news,
27 Mar. 2026
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Research shows that 81 percent of mountaineers experience nausea and/or vomiting as a result.—
Brad Stulberg,
Outside,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The autopsy points to drowning.—
Peter D'Abrosca , Solly Boussidan,
FOXNews.com,
1 Apr. 2026
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Rachel spent the entire series drowning in paranoia and dread, and now the worst has already happened.—
Hanna Wickes,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Residents can protect against the disease by using flea-control treatments on pets year-round, avoiding handling or feeding stray animals, and keeping wildlife away with security trash cans and blocking entry points and hiding places on residential properties.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
3 Apr. 2026
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While there wasn’t a 7-foot-4 obstacle blocking the lane, the Clippers still couldn’t get out of their own way and lost to the Spurs for the third time in less than a month, 118-99, at the Intuit Dome.—
Janis Carr,
Oc Register,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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She is now being charged with child endangerment and obstructing the legal process.—
Riley Moser,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
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Gutierrez was ultimately convicted in Kane County court for that offense, and for having tinted windows and obstructing a police officer, according to court records.—
Molly Morrow,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Residents, saying they were surprised by the zoning, began jamming township meetings beginning in May 2023.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
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Russia has invested in its own military technology, developing unmanned vehicles and signal-jamming systems that can strike targets deep behind Ukrainian lines.—
Olivier Kempf,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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And in South Florida groups have stepped in to support migrants navigating complicated immigration processes, from deportation to self-deportation, often filling gaps left by government systems.—
Lauren Costantino,
Miami Herald,
4 Apr. 2026
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Generic Lamps Standard table lamps have started to feel more like placeholders than design decisions, filling space, but not really contributing to it.—
Angelika Pokovba,
Martha Stewart,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Choking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/choking. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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