Synonyms of choking

choking

verb

present participle of choke

1

as in strangling

to keep (someone) from breathing by exerting pressure on the windpipe

let go of my throat—you're choking me!

Synonyms & Similar Words

• strangling
• throttling
• suffocating
• asphyxiating
• garroting
• smothering
• stifling
• scragging

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• restoring
• reviving
• resuscitating

2

as in vomiting

to experience complete or partial blockage of the windpipe

the recommended procedure for helping someone who is choking

Synonyms & Similar Words

• vomiting
• suffocating
• gagging
• heaving
• stifling
• retching
• smothering
• throwing up
• asphyxiating

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• breathing
• respiring
• expiring
• inspiring

3

as in drowning

to be or cause to be killed by lack of breathable air

thick, black smoke choked the trapped firefighters

Synonyms & Similar Words

• strangling
• drowning
• suffocating
• smothering
• stifling
• destroying
• asphyxiating
• throttling
• slaying
• garroting
• dispatching
• felling
• croaking
• doing in

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• breathing
• inhaling
• expiring
• inspiring
• exhaling
• reviving
• resuscitating

4

as in blocking

to prevent passage through by filling with something

overgrown bushes choked the narrow alleyway between the buildings

Synonyms & Similar Words

• blocking
• obstructing
• jamming
• filling
• clogging
• flooding
• congesting
• occluding
• stopping (up)
• plugging (up)
• gumming (up)
• clotting
• damming
• stuffing
• packing
• overwhelming
• corking
• stoppering
• silting
• bunging
• spiling
• glutting
• inundating
• swamping
• stoppling
• furring
• gridlocking

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• opening (up)
• freeing
• clearing
• unplugging
• unblocking
• excavating
• unstopping
• emptying
• unclogging
• scooping (out)
• hollowing (out)
• lightening

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of choking

Biddy covered most of the journey on foot—the equivalent of about six million steps—herding animals at the rear of her owner’s wagon company and choking her way through a moving screen of dust kicked up by the migrant caravan. — Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026

On top of store closures and unsold inventory, the company was choking on enormous debt from a private equity buyout in 2014. — Phil Wahba, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026

DeShantz is also accused of choking the woman and throwing her to the ground outside of his home in the city's Allentown neighborhood. — Mike Darnay, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026

Car seats, walkers and other baby gear sold at Target have been recalled due to choking hazards and the risk of serious injury from falls. — Sacbee.com, 23 Sep. 2026

Loud persistent snoring, sudden gasping or choking for air, waking with a dry mouth and breathing pauses a partner usually notices first. — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 23 Sep. 2026

During their time dating, Flowers’ friends and family received a video of Plummer striking Flowers, choking her and throwing her to the ground, prosecutors said. — Allison Kiehl, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026

Construction workers, firefighters, and police officers, who stood shoulder to shoulder with him for months amid choking dust, burning debris, and twisted steel. — Raja Flores, STAT, 11 Sep. 2026

Many squish toys rely on a special filling to get that enjoyable texture, but this filling can sometimes contain unsafe chemicals or choking hazards. — Parents, 4 Sep. 2026