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

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2
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

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3

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 There was another path—to strangle the regime and empower the people. Nazanin Boniadi, Time, 17 June 2025 And those payments are now strangling the city’s budget. Daniel Borenstein, Mercury News, 17 June 2025 So here’s the call: Stop asking for innovation while upholding systems that strangle it. Nono Bokete, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025 The character's worst moment came early on, however, when a post-regeneration Sixth Doctor attempted to strangle companion Peri (Nicola Bryant). Richard Edwards, Space.com, 29 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for strangle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strangle
Verb
  • Officers then spoke to the second victim, who said Bonds slammed them to the floor and choked them as well.
    Michelle L. Quinn, Chicago Tribune, 23 June 2025
  • Its options are widely considered to include retaliation against U.S. forces in the region as well as choking a major global oil supply route, the Strait of Hormuz.
    Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 June 2025
Verb
  • Franchising does not need to stifle creativity, or be faceless and lacking in personality - in fact a strong and collaborative franchise network can be a fantastic melting pot of ideas to fuel innovation and growth which benefits both franchisor and franchisee.
    Fiona Simpson, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • Detractors argue the current system enforces outdated policies, stifles institutional innovation, and advances a liberal agenda, often through mandates tied to DEI initiatives.
    Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 26 June 2025
Verb
  • While that may not be possible in the NBA, where the new collective bargaining agreement is meant to suffocate its biggest spenders with punitive tax payments and roster-building restrictions, the Dodgers have not been cowed by the limits MLB has tried to set on them.
    Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 19 June 2025
  • Montgomery County Jail records show that the NFL star was arrested following an incident at his home that same morning and is accused of assaulting and choking or suffocating an individual.
    Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 18 June 2025
Verb
  • Trump is unsurprisingly attracted to this paradise for the ultra-wealthy, where money is speech, labor is suppressed, dissent is criminalized and a monarch holds all power.
    Sonali Kolhatkar, Sun Sentinel, 29 June 2025
  • Fed up with the government’s inaction, a group of residents created Polish Smog Alert, an advocacy organization pushing for legislation to suppress the smog.
    Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025
Verb
  • The Bulls have already tried to deal Vučević to the Warriors once in a trade deadline deal that was smothered, in part, by the Jimmy Butler move with the Miami Heat.
    Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2025
  • Temperatures have skyrocketed over recent days as a dangerous heat dome has smothered the northeast.
    Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 24 June 2025
Verb
  • Such a drastic income reduction would be a tough pill to swallow at a time of soaring inflation, rising housing and medical costs, and longer lifespans.
    Dan Doonan, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
  • In February, a 36-year-old man swallowed 20 over-the-counter pills.
    Dhruv Mehrotra, Wired News, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • The funeral service for a Metro Transit Police Department sergeant who drowned on Sunday in White Bear Lake will be Friday.
    Mary Divine, Twin Cities, 25 June 2025
  • Tragically, eight people drowned, while two were rescued by lifeguards, park rangers and nearby civilian boaters who rushed to help.
    Bethany Wales, Sacbee.com, 25 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Strangle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strangle. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.

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