as in choked
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1
as in drowned
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in throttled
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
3
as in stifled
to refrain from openly showing or uttering
strangled a gasp of surprise upon hearing the news
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of strangled
Peter Debruge, Variety, 26 Jan. 2026
Arrest warrants allege Jones stabbed his grandfather multiple times in the torso and neck and strangled his grandmother, cutting off her airway and blood flow.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Several hours later, Wilson strangled Ruiz.
—Jane Lacroix, PEOPLE, 22 Jan. 2026
Clancy allegedly strangled her children Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, eight months, during the throes of a postpartum breakdown, then tried to kill herself at their Duxbury home on January 24, 2023.
—Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 22 Jan. 2026
Nieves pleaded guilty to manslaughter for smashing Conneely’s head with a meat tenderizer while she was being strangled.
—David Matthews, New York Daily News, 14 Jan. 2026
Boyd said she was beaten, strangled, isolated, and threatened repeatedly by a partner whose violence escalated for years before the offense that sent her to prison.
—Stephen Martin, Oklahoma Watch, 13 Jan. 2026
Protesters have also been choked and strangled.
—Nicole Foy, ProPublica, 13 Jan. 2026
That one is a flimsy piano ballad where the duo’s approach to vocals—strangled, swirled and gasping—comes off more annoying than innovative, like a joke that isn’t funny anymore.
—Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 12 Jan. 2026
Verb
Somewhere along the way, the private jet goes down and everybody dies — in excessively painful ways, as Raimi gleefully shows them being sucked out of the plane and strangled by their own neckties — except for Linda and Bradley.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 26 Jan. 2026
Arrest warrants allege Jones stabbed his grandfather multiple times in the torso and neck and strangled his grandmother, cutting off her airway and blood flow.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Several hours later, Wilson strangled Ruiz.
—Jane Lacroix, PEOPLE, 22 Jan. 2026
Clancy allegedly strangled her children Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, eight months, during the throes of a postpartum breakdown, then tried to kill herself at their Duxbury home on January 24, 2023.
—Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 22 Jan. 2026
Nieves pleaded guilty to manslaughter for smashing Conneely’s head with a meat tenderizer while she was being strangled.
—David Matthews, New York Daily News, 14 Jan. 2026
Boyd said she was beaten, strangled, isolated, and threatened repeatedly by a partner whose violence escalated for years before the offense that sent her to prison.
—Stephen Martin, Oklahoma Watch, 13 Jan. 2026
Protesters have also been choked and strangled.
—Nicole Foy, ProPublica, 13 Jan. 2026
That one is a flimsy piano ballad where the duo’s approach to vocals—strangled, swirled and gasping—comes off more annoying than innovative, like a joke that isn’t funny anymore.
—Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 12 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strangled
Verb
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On the day Ujlaky vanished, prosecutors alleged Dickey choked her by wrapping a ligature around her neck before raping her and slashing her throat, according to a criminal complaint obtained by PEOPLE.—
KC Baker,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026
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The petition, which was granted by a federal judge, cites reports alleging that guards at the facility choked and asphyxiated Campos.—
Laura Romero,
ABC News,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Minnesota got power play goals from Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek and a shorthanded goal from Matt Boldy, but was stifled defensively much of the night, most notably at even strength.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
25 Jan. 2026
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Professionalism has wrongly shifted from emotional control to emotional suppression, leading to lifeless workplaces, stifled creativity, and poor decision-making.—
Benjamin Laker,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The strained awkwardness of Adelina and Alban’s gestures of generosity underscore the class disparity between the city dwellers and their relatives.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Jan. 2026
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Diplomatic relations between South Africa and Israel were already severely strained after South Africa — a longtime supporter of the Palestinian people — accused Israel of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza in a case at the United Nations’ top court.—
Gerald Imray,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The young boys drowned after falling into an icy pond in Bonham, about 70 miles northeast of Dallas.—
Alexis Simmerman,
Austin American Statesman,
27 Jan. 2026
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Among the deaths are three elementary school boys who drowned in an icy pond in Bonham, Texas, near the border with Oklahoma, according to CNN affiliate WOAI.—
Eric Levenson,
CNN Money,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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At home, the Guard’s Basij volunteer arm brutally suppressed recent nationwide protests, establishing itself as the theocracy’s primary tool for squashing dissent.—
Jon Gambrell,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Jan. 2026
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This led organically to feelings of love for one’s Black nannies and friendship with the children of your Black live-in maids, but this warmth had to be suppressed.—
Eve Fairbanks,
The Dial,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Painting seems like an easy fix for cracked or discolored grout.—
Lee Wallender,
The Spruce,
5 Jan. 2026
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Besides being dangerous, downloading cracked software also poses legal risks.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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That will require out-foxing Patriots defensive play-caller Zak Kuhr, whose pressure game plans suffocated the Chargers and Texans the past two weeks.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
23 Jan. 2026
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Freedom can unlock Iranians’ potential that has been suffocated for decades.—
Agustina Vergara Cid,
Oc Register,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The story follows a scuba diver in search of his deceased father’s remains who gets swallowed by an 80-foot, 60-ton sperm whale and has only one hour to escape before his oxygen runs out.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
26 Jan. 2026
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With tech earnings season kicking into high gear next week, Wall Street will start to get a clearer picture of where particular companies stand in adopting AI or getting swallowed by it.—
Seema Mody,
CNBC,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Strangled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strangled. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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