CHOKE BACK Synonyms: 28 Similar and Opposite Words

choke (back)

verb

Definition of choke (back)

as in to stifle

to refrain from openly showing or uttering choked back a sarcastic reply to an insulting question

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for choke (back)

Verb

The Falcons dominated the second half with their offense, and the defense stifled the Packers and quarterback Jordan Love.

— Rod Beard, AJC.com, 25 Sep. 2026
While a label like ‘woman’ has always felt stifling and strange, ‘daughter’ doesn’t carry that heaviness.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of stifle

Verb

The system is designed to amplify speech while using machine learning to suppress background noise.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 24 Sep. 2026
When the skin’s community of protective bacteria was suppressed with antibiotics, the frogs became more likely to develop signs of disease.

— Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of suppress

Verb

What makes the news even tougher to swallow is that Horn had been healthy for the better part of the last three seasons after overcoming a lot of health issues early on in his NFL career.

— Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 28 Sep. 2026
In what probably should’ve been a tell, when AT&T acquired it in 2018, the telecom swallowed Time Warner whole and there was no trace of the Warner name.

— Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of swallow

Verb

The designers and brands succeeding right now appear to be those who understand how to honor history and invigorate the brand, without being held back or weighed down by legacy.

— Fiona Sinclair Scott, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026
But executives have otherwise offered few details, holding back until Wednesday's event.

— Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of hold back

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.

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choke

choke (back)

choked

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“Choke (back).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/choke%20%28back%29. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of choke (back)

verb

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