1
as in to choke
to be or cause to be killed by lack of breathable air the gull got tangled in a piece of fishing line on the beach and was strangled

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2
as in to throttle
to keep (someone) from breathing by exerting pressure on the windpipe the boy complained that he was being strangled by his tie

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3

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of strangle Throughout Russian history, Ivan the Terrible – who among his other crimes murdered his eldest son and had the head of Russian Orthodox Church strangled for dissent – was remembered as a repulsive tyrant. Dina Khapaeva, The Conversation, 22 Apr. 2025 Shortly after strangling Stivers, Hall was arrested nine blocks from the scene, according to court records. Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 22 Apr. 2025 The condition involves the involuntary pulling of the muscles that open and close the vocal folds, causing the voice to sound strained and strangled, at times with a breathy quality. Indu Subramanian, The Conversation, 1 May 2025 Despite Jacmel’s sense of calm compared to Port-au-Prince, there’s fear that the terror strangling the capital and its neighboring Artibonite region will spread. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for strangle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strangle
Verb
  • The woman told investigators that Washington had allegedly choked her after finding her ex-boyfriend’s phone number in her cell phone contacts, the report said.
    Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 2 May 2025
  • Size Matters Rudy Gobert sends the Lakers to the summer At halftime of Game 5 between the Timberwolves and Lakers, Shaquille O’Neal was already choking on his words in the TNT studios.
    Zach Harper, New York Times, 1 May 2025
Verb
  • That could stifle advocacy, research, and direct services in reproductive health, refugee resettlement, environmental justice, or racial equity.
    Shahar Ziv, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
  • Ventura described Combs’ psychological and physical abuse as ultimately demolishing her sense of self, stifling her career, and leading her to contemplate suicide.
    Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 15 May 2025
Verb
  • Curiosity needs room to breathe, and micromanagement quietly suffocates it.
    Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025
  • When push came to shove in the fourth quarters of every game, Minnesota’s defense tightened the screws and suffocated the Lakers’ offense.
    Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 1 May 2025
Verb
  • Orwell authored 1984, a bleak vision of the future where an authoritarian regime weaponizes language to suppress independent thought and rewrite history.
    Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025
  • However, consistent, long-term stress can wear down your immune system, exposing you to inflammation and suppressing your body's response to infections.2 UTIs occur when the urinary tract, including the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra, is infected.
    Brittany Dube, Health, 13 May 2025
Verb
  • To paraphrase the historian Simon Schama, if Thatcher was the stern nanny who gave Brits their medicine, Diana was the loving mother who smothered them in tactile affection.
    Air Mail, Air Mail, 10 May 2025
  • Abandoning the arc allowed defenses to smother the paint, leaving then-rookies Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese burdened with double teams.
    Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 10 May 2025
Verb
  • To maximize fluoride’s effect, keep them in the mouth for 1-2 minutes before swallowing.
    Matt Fuchs, Time, 14 May 2025
  • The tariffs are a tough pill to swallow for an industry that, in general, warmly embraced President Trump along the campaign trail.
    Colin Harper, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025
Verb
  • Her 14-year-old brother drowned, according to authorities, and her father is in a coma.
    Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2025
  • Except the music playing her off the stage drowns out his name!
    Keith Phipps, Vulture, 7 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Strangle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strangle. Accessed 20 May. 2025.

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