strangle

1 to be or cause to be killed by lack of breathable air the gull got tangled in a piece of fishing line on the beach and was strangled Synonyms choke, stifle, smother, suffocateRelated Words garrote (or garotte), throttle; asphyxiate; drown; croak [slang], destroy, dispatch, do in, fell, slayNear Antonyms breathe, exhale, expire, inhale, inspire; resuscitate, revive

2 to keep (someone) from breathing by exerting pressure on the windpipe the boy complained that he was being strangled by his tie Synonyms garrote (or garotte), choke, suffocate, throttleRelated Words asphyxiate, smother, stifle; scragNear Antonyms restore, resuscitate, revive

3 to refrain from openly showing or uttering strangled a gasp of surprise upon hearing the news Synonyms choke (back), hold back, pocket, repress, sink, smother, stifle, suppress, submerge, swallowRelated Words control, govern, manage; bridle, check, curb, quash, quell; bottle up, contain; muffle, squelchNear Antonyms express, loose, release, take out, unleash, vent