1
as in strangles
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
3
as in smothers
to be or cause to be killed by lack of breathable air
thick, black smoke choked the trapped firefighters
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in blocks
to prevent passage through by filling with something
overgrown bushes choked the narrow alleyway between the buildings
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of chokes
Not the one who chokes in the playoffs.
—
Geoff Clark Outkick, FOXNews.com, 7 May 2026
Democratic lawmakers aren’t particularly sympathetic to the industry, pointing to reports of soaring profits for oil companies as the war chokes consumers around the world.
—Sacbee.com, 6 May 2026
In the ensuing battle, Mary is unable to run away from Howard, who then pins her down and seemingly chokes her out.
—Max Gao, Variety, 29 Apr. 2026
In the second season, a patient under the influence wraps his arm around a young nurse’s neck and chokes her until the charge nurse intervenes.
—Jennifer Obel, Twin Cities, 22 Apr. 2026
Jasmine almost chokes on her corn dog when that comes out of Janet’s mouth.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 9 Apr. 2026
Then Leaphorn appears, knocks her down, and chokes her.
—Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Apr. 2026
Iran war chokes Gulf’s helium exports The war in Iran is choking supplies of helium, vital for technologies from AI chatbots to MRI scanners.
—Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 2 Apr. 2026
Like other invasive plants, stinknet chokes native plants and increases fire risk.
—Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 13 Mar. 2026
Geoff Clark Outkick, FOXNews.com, 7 May 2026
Democratic lawmakers aren’t particularly sympathetic to the industry, pointing to reports of soaring profits for oil companies as the war chokes consumers around the world.
—Sacbee.com, 6 May 2026
In the ensuing battle, Mary is unable to run away from Howard, who then pins her down and seemingly chokes her out.
—Max Gao, Variety, 29 Apr. 2026
In the second season, a patient under the influence wraps his arm around a young nurse’s neck and chokes her until the charge nurse intervenes.
—Jennifer Obel, Twin Cities, 22 Apr. 2026
Jasmine almost chokes on her corn dog when that comes out of Janet’s mouth.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 9 Apr. 2026
Then Leaphorn appears, knocks her down, and chokes her.
—Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Apr. 2026
Iran war chokes Gulf’s helium exports The war in Iran is choking supplies of helium, vital for technologies from AI chatbots to MRI scanners.
—Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 2 Apr. 2026
Like other invasive plants, stinknet chokes native plants and increases fire risk.
—Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 13 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chokes
Verb
-
Nate comes back to life and strangles Cassie in a dark green Bottega Veneta suit, then Maddy saves her.—
Savannah Walsh,
Vanity Fair,
29 May 2026
-
Over-regulation strangles the economy!—
Teri Sforza,
Oc Register,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Shows were led by a sentient wad of meat, a talk-show host who vomits in front of guests, and a reality-TV star who never shows his face.—
Eric Vilas-Boas,
Vulture,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Absinthe-eyed, she projectile-vomits blunt observations and also oysters onto the heavies, overimbibing her way into her own grave once she’s inevitably discarded with a shot and shove down a stairwell (a barely-there John Magaro plays one of the gangsters).—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But needy, possessive Nikki smothers Bear, and what plays out is a horrifying tale of obsessive love gone wrong — sour, curdled and violent.—
Katie Walsh,
Twin Cities,
23 May 2026
-
Carson smothers it over a crisp and shattering tortilla with tart pickled jalapeño, silky avocado crema and a blizzard of cotija cheese.—
Louisa Kung Liu Chu,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Anything Too Tall or Too Small Avoid placing anything on a coffee table that blocks the view of the surrounding furniture.—
Lauren Jones,
Southern Living,
8 June 2026
-
In addition to Virunga National Park, Okapi Wildlife Reserve blocks the west and the north from the spread of the disease toward the big city of Kisangani, and downstream of the Congo River all the way to [the capital of] Kinshasa.—
Gabrielle Emanuel,
NPR,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
Mansfield Legacy throttles Crowley Mansfield Legacy piled on the hits against Crowley Friday, seizing a 17-1 victory in a game that ended after three innings.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Records could also be topped in Las Vegas and Phoenix through the weekend as the early-season desert heat wave throttles up.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Don't tail large vehicles closely - Trucks or buses can kick up a water spray that obstructs visibility.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
8 June 2026
-
Don't tail large vehicles closely - Trucks or buses can kick up a water spray that obstructs visibility.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
That crud jams up the works of your coffee maker, slows brewing down, and impacts the taste of your morning brew.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
16 Feb. 2026
-
The move effectively jams the upper chamber by including the repeal in the funding package without the necessary time to reverse course, giving the Senate no option but to approve it.—
Kaia Hubbard,
CBS News,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
But sidle up to the bar, eerily silent until the restaurant quickly fills with chatter, and order a stiff drink before settling into a table and digging into heaping plates of pasta, milanesa, and a Caesar salad that always hits the spot.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
9 June 2026
-
Nilles proved herself both fierce and precise behind the kit, unpacking every nuance of Peart’s playing, from her fluid waves of tom-tom fills to her snappy hi-hat work.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Chokes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chokes. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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