CHOKING Synonyms: 69 Similar and Opposite Words

choking

verb

Definition of choking

present participle of choke

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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in vomiting

to experience complete or partial blockage of the windpipe the recommended procedure for helping someone who is choking

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in blocking

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

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.

Recent Examples of choking And an overly elaborate new CTA station at State and Lake is taking years, choking the North Loop with construction equipment. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026 Loud, frequent snoring paired with gasping, choking or pauses in breathing may point to obstructive sleep apnea. — Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 20 Aug. 2026 There were flakes of gray ash on the rocks, and the choking stink of wet soot. — Madhuri Vijay, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026 Inhaling powder into the lungs can cause aspiration, while choking can become an emergency. — Dr. Onaola Adedeji, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026 The agency’s warning addresses multiple risks, including burns, choking hazards, and water bead or chemical exposure. — Hannah Nwoko, Parents, 13 Aug. 2026 Body cameras captured the moments Rialto police officers rushed to save a choking 3-year-old child last week. — Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026 Along Canada’s Okanagan Lake, residents described choking smoke and a wall of fire as British Columbia declared a state of emergency. — Jamie Stengle, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026 In April, the former congressman suspended his campaign for governor of California after multiple women accused him of inappropriate behavior ranging from sending lewd, unwanted messages to drugging, raping and choking them. — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 7 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for choking

Verb

The prosecution says Clancy planned and executed the murders by sending her husband, Patrick Clancy, out of the house on errands, then strangling the children with exercise bands in the basement of their Duxbury home.

— Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026
Clancy jumped out a window after strangling the children to death and was paralyzed in the fall.

— Jodi Guglielmi, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of strangling

Verb

The train began blocking the crossing on Tuesday morning, forcing drivers to find alternate routes.

— Terell Bailey, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
The first of those state-court eligibility decisions, granted in Ohio in early July, was paused by an appeals court this week, blocking it from taking effect.

— Justin Williams, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of blocking

Verb

He was charged with felony tampering, hindering apprehension for taking steps to conceal evidence and obstructing the investigation, according to a press release from Sunday's office.

— Finch Walker, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026
Paul Robinson, the father of a student who was accused with Abbatiello of being one of the ring’s two main suppliers, is charged with felony tampering, hindering apprehension and obstructing the investigation.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of obstructing

Verb

The unit also dabbled in artificial intelligence, which Hegseth has been pushing, and designing drones resistant to jamming.

— ABC News, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
Ministry spokesman Sun Li-fang said NCSIST had already verified jamming capabilities for the newer frequency and would introduce them through future upgrades.

— Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of jamming

Verb

Nearly an hour after Nolan was last seen, friends on one of the boats noticed its bilge pump had failed and water was rapidly filling the hull, Tyler Cox and Edward Paltzik, attorneys for the friends, told CNN.

— Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
Tender cuts of meat, spicy cucumber salads, and lobster mac and cheese are rich but not overpowering, satisfying but not overly filling, and beautifully presented.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Aug. 2026