1
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in to stifle
to refrain from openly showing or uttering
strangled a gasp of surprise upon hearing the news
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 strangle
Police have at long last identified a newborn boy found strangled at a San Bruno park in 1981 and are now asking for the public’s help as the investigation into the cold case continues.
—
Jason Green, Mercury News, 22 Oct. 2025
Maeve is in the hen house with Jayson, banging his gun around and nearly strangling her.
—Grace Byron, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2025
Hubert strangled the girl, then threw her off a bridge over Lake Quinsigamond, the district attorney’s office said.
—Jennifer Rodriguez, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2025
Edwards had been raped and strangled.
—Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for strangle
Jason Green, Mercury News, 22 Oct. 2025
Maeve is in the hen house with Jayson, banging his gun around and nearly strangling her.
—Grace Byron, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2025
Hubert strangled the girl, then threw her off a bridge over Lake Quinsigamond, the district attorney’s office said.
—Jennifer Rodriguez, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2025
Edwards had been raped and strangled.
—Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for strangle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strangle
Verb
-
During the previous school year, the boy strangled and choked a teacher and pulled up a female classmate’s dress and touched her inappropriately on the school playground, the lawsuit claims.—
Cindy Von Quednow,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
-
The figure of Achilles, a warrior who singlehandedly choked a river with dead enemies before taking on the river god himself, provided a model for Alexander the Great and persists in contemporary popular entertainment, political speech, and military culture in celebrations of shock and awe.—
Elizabeth D. Samet,
Foreign Affairs,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Between hugs and stifled tears, players walked up to sift through them.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
-
The space was stifling in the Louisiana heat, so fans were blowing for everyone inside.—
Luke Chinman,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The searing drama follows the titular socialite (Tessa Thompson) over the course of one opulent, suffocating party.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
31 Oct. 2025
-
As the Netflix series often attempted to bring light to the real mistreatment faced by incarcerated people, Poussey’s death at the hands of a police officer who suffocated her was intended to shed light on the real police brutality Black inmates in particular face.—
Catherine Mhloyi,
Them.,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Higher rates reduce investment, spending, and economic activity, which naturally suppresses hiring.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
31 Oct. 2025
-
The reason for this striking look is the inhibitor gene which suppresses pigment deposition at the base of the hair shaft, giving the cat the shimmering effect.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Wildlife exposed to oil and grease can suffer fatal effects — the substance can coat feathers and fur, impairing mobility and body temperature regulation, or smother aquatic plants that other species depend on for food and oxygen.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Heavy leaf accumulation will smother the lawn, so rake the leaves and redistribute them to garden beds or an out-of-the-way corner.—
Erica Browne Grivas,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
And businesses that have so far swallowed the tariffs without raising prices may not be able to for much longer.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
4 Nov. 2025
-
The earth opened and swallowed my father, literally.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
When the bodies of the drowned are retrieved, they’re sent to Alexandroupoli to be identified.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
-
In an effort to save their relationship, Smith drowned her two young sons.—
Lynsey Eidell,
PEOPLE,
2 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Strangle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strangle. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share