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
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In response, Varsity and USASF have argued that the Open Championship’s own growth, both in terms of participant numbers and event revenue, undermines the notion that the defendants illegally stifled competition.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
8 Apr. 2026 -
Overregulation stifles business, regardless of industry.—
John Cleveland,
Boston Herald,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Ukraine's air force, meanwhile, said its forces faced 6,462 Russian drones and 138 missiles of various types across the course of the month, of which 5,833 drones and 102 missiles -- around 90% of drones and just under 74% of missiles -- were intercepted or suppressed.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
6 Apr. 2026
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Declining immigration is constraining labor supply, higher productivity is suppressing labor demand, business activity captured by our Texas Business Outlook Surveys recently moderated, and geopolitical uncertainty is elevated.—
Matthew Ablon,
CBS News,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That the Sabres couldn’t live up to the hype this season despite having a top 10 starting goalie performance is a tough pill to swallow.—
Dom Luszczyszyn,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2026
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And in rain, the muddy dirt roads threaten to swallow your car.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The city chose a more muscular solution, raising the park and lifting the river’s edge to form a wall intended to hold back sixteen feet of surge.—
Eric Klinenberg,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
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During the show’s second hour, Guthrie went outside to thank the crowd and briefly held back tears.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
6 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Choke (back).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/choke%20%28back%29. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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