STRANGLE Synonyms: 50 Similar and Opposite Words

strangle

verb

ˈstraŋ-gəl

Definition of strangle

as in to choke

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 & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to throttle

to keep (someone) from breathing by exerting pressure on the windpipe the boy complained that he was being strangled by his tie

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to stifle

to refrain from openly showing or uttering strangled a gasp of surprise upon hearing the news

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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 strangle Matthew appeared to have been stabbed, strangled and had signs of trauma to her head. — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026 Clancy, 36, faced three counts of first-degree murder in connection with the slayings of her children — 5-year-old Cora, 3-year-old Dawson and 8-month-old Callan — who were discovered strangled at the family's home in January 2023. — Adam Sabes , Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2026 Neither side disputed that Clancy strangled 5-year-old Cora, 3-year-old Dawson and 8-month-old Callan Clancy in the family's home in 2023 before trying to end her own life. — ABC News, 10 Sep. 2026 After a half hour, Burden said Conahan gave up on strangling him and left him tied to the tree. — Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for strangle

Recent Examples of Synonyms for strangle

Verb

Advocates argue carts are silent, occupy less space than tourist vans and buses, and don’t choke the air with exhaust that also stains historic monuments.

— ABC News, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026
Chief among them is the war in Iran, which analysts view as a stalemate that has choked major maritime arteries for oil and gas.

— Steve Kopack, NBC news, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of choke

Verb

With technology advancing quickly, regulators are trying to keep up while also facing pressure not to stifle innovation.

— Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
The senator, who has introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at addressing AI safety risks, stressed that any new regulation should be targeted and sensitive to concerns about stifling global competitiveness.

— Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of stifle

Verb

There, on the Gila National Forest, massive wildfires have suffocated mountain streams with ash, requiring major restoration projects.

— Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 8 Sep. 2026
Hossain and her collaborators have conjured an internalized hellscape marked by sensual photography, gnarly cyst makeup, and suffocating matrimonial rituals involving turmeric and milk — all redolent with upper-class heteronormative rot.

— Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of suffocate

Verb

The Prepared Hero Fire Blanket is designed to help smother small fires by cutting off their oxygen supply and comes in a ready-to-hang pouch for easy access.

— ABC News, ABC News, 5 Sep. 2026
The Trojans posted their first shutout since 2024, smothering the Bulldogs with two safeties, four sacks and long stretches without yielding a yard, first down or rhythm.

— Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of smother

Verb

The play was blown up by Ojomo, who spun off the block of Washington center Nick Allegretti and swallowed Bates behind the line of scrimmage.

— Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2026
The thought of Margaret trapped in the skyscraper, swallowed up by flames and heat, is an overwhelming load for a mother to carry.

— Nicole Avery Nichols, Freep.com, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of swallow

Verb

The film is also Diop’s first narrative film, taking the court case of Fabienne Kabou, a Senegalese French woman who was ultimately convicted of murder for drowning her child, as inspiration.

— Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Nobody wanted to look at it or think about those five children being drowned in Andrea Yates’s bathtub.

— Jaha Nailah Avery, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of drown

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strangers

strangle

strangled

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“Strangle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strangle. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of strangle

verb

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