as in to stifle
to refrain from openly showing or uttering
choked back a sarcastic reply to an insulting question
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for choke (back)
Verb
-
Cleveland possesses a very dangerous defense, and that was on full display, stifling the strong Packers offense through most of the game.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Sep. 2025 -
Attempts to ban the tourist attraction by mayors have been stifled for years, in part from opposition by a labor union representing carriage drivers and owners who deny allegations of animal mistreatment.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
20 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Advertisement Amazon still faces another lawsuit brought by the FTC in 2023, which alleged that the company is an exploitative monopoly and illegally suppressed competition among online marketplaces.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
26 Sep. 2025
-
The threats are so vague, and government power so extensive, that this will undoubtedly drive widespread self-censorship and suppress free expression across many communities out of fear.—
Elizabeth Shackelford,
Twin Cities,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
For sellers who may have bought their homes at the height of the pandemic and were wishing to now fetch the same prices for them, Florida’s recent shift in favor of buyers is a tough pill to swallow.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Sep. 2025
-
Here, slowly being swallowed by vegetation and worn down by time, are gigantic mausoleums, vast underground cisterns, temples, imposing city walls and a breathtaking theater perched, like Machu Picchu, on a hilltop that offers views stretching for miles all around.—
Barry Neild,
CNN Money,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Reeve did not hold back postgame.—
Mike Cook,
Twin Cities,
27 Sep. 2025
-
Local architect Stephen Phillips has met dozens of homeowners following the wildfires, but says finances are holding back many from hiring him.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
26 Sep. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Choke (back).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/choke%20%28back%29. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share