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

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

The family of a 7-year-old boy who nearly died after choking on a piece of meat and going into cardiac arrest reunited Monday with the paramedics and 911 dispatcher who helped save his life last month in Anne Arundel County. — Caroline Foreback, CBS News, 14 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

He was booked at the Gladesville Police Station on three domestic violence charges — common assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and intentionally choking a person without consent — and eventually released on bail. — Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026

Faux greenery eliminates plant-toxin concerns, but loose pieces can still become choking hazards or cause an intestinal blockage if swallowed. — Lauren Paige Richeson, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026