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
Relevance
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
Physical bullying happens when a child hits, kicks, trips, pushes, chokes or otherwise hurts another child.
—
Dr. Mahvash Madni, Boston Herald, 4 Jan. 2026
Left to die, breathless and alone, Invisigal chokes while Robert screams from the other end of the comms.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 7 Nov. 2025
Even the woman Larry falls for, Gwen (Evelyn Ankers), isn't immune to the animal's evil charms, and the creature nearly chokes the life out of her in one scene.
—Steven Thrash, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Oct. 2025
Hybrid-resilient architecture—local backups that can kick in like muscle memory when the cloud chokes.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Broken baggage chokes landfills and decomposes at a glacial pace.
—Christopher Elliott, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2024
Again, Dylan absolutely chokes.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 29 Nov. 2024
There’s a moment in the second film that really chokes me up.
—Jenelle Riley, Variety, 19 Oct. 2024
Dr. Mahvash Madni, Boston Herald, 4 Jan. 2026
Left to die, breathless and alone, Invisigal chokes while Robert screams from the other end of the comms.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 7 Nov. 2025
Even the woman Larry falls for, Gwen (Evelyn Ankers), isn't immune to the animal's evil charms, and the creature nearly chokes the life out of her in one scene.
—Steven Thrash, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Oct. 2025
Hybrid-resilient architecture—local backups that can kick in like muscle memory when the cloud chokes.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Broken baggage chokes landfills and decomposes at a glacial pace.
—Christopher Elliott, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2024
Again, Dylan absolutely chokes.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 29 Nov. 2024
There’s a moment in the second film that really chokes me up.
—Jenelle Riley, Variety, 19 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chokes
Verb
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Mostly, though, Boland strangles batters with his suffocating and deadly-accurate line and length.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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What starts as an innocent father/daughter college visit takes a shocking turn when Tony brutally strangles a Mob turncoat.—
Dan Snierson,
Entertainment Weekly,
27 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
My cat vomits once every week or two.—
Jane Sykes,
Washington Post,
5 Jan. 2026
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Be aware the virus may be aerosolized when someone vomits, meaning surfaces several feet away could be contaminated, the USDA said.—
Hannah Poukish,
Sacbee.com,
15 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Complexity smothers everything, like Japanese knotweed.—
Adrian Wooldridge,
Twin Cities,
6 Dec. 2025
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If either smothers the grass for long periods, this can compact soil and lead to mold problems.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
29 Nov. 2025
Verb
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That decision — made soon after the Minneapolis incident made national headlines — blocks state investigators at the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension from accessing key evidence, like Good's car and other case materials, which has drawn scrutiny from state leaders.—
Caroline Cummings,
CBS News,
13 Jan. 2026
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The law blocks schools from expanding sports programs for male athletes at the expense of women, but that protection completely unravels when male athletes simply transfer their physical advantages into women’s sports.—
Alanna Smith,
New York Daily News,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Gordon throttles Rankin, establishes six man dynasty Gordon defeated Rankin 69-22 in the Class 1A Division I six man state championship with a walk off touchdown Wednesday to claim its third consecutive state title.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 Dec. 2025
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Bills defense throttles Steelers offense Buffalo survived, little thanks to its offense.—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
New York Times,
1 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Don't tail large vehicles closely - Trucks or buses can kick up a water spray that obstructs visibility.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
6 Jan. 2026
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Don't tail large vehicles closely - Trucks or buses can kick up a water spray that obstructs visibility.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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For a band that jams in finger-freezing weather during the Chicago winter, the long lines to get inside Christkindlmarket have been a silver lining.—
Noel Brennan,
CBS News,
28 Nov. 2025
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Traffic regularly jams the freeway into the city, and residents fight over efforts to build more homes.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Rock is eroded from the higher-elevation land into the basin, which also fills with the organic remains of plants and animals.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
7 Jan. 2026
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Much as Cornell did, Anderson fills every inch of space available, whether in his film frames or immersive installations.—
Stephanie Sporn,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Chokes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chokes. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.
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