STRANGLES Synonyms: 50 Similar and Opposite Words

strangles

verb

Definition of strangles

present tense third-person singular of strangle

as in chokes

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in throttles

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in stifles

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 strangles By the end of the show, Daya’s addiction has turned her into the prison’s drug lord, and her mother strangles her during the series finale. — Gwen Ihnat, Entertainment Weekly, 11 July 2026 But the same instinct that makes a founder indispensable early is exactly what strangles the organization later. — Daria Rudnik, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026 Nate comes back to life and strangles Cassie in a dark green Bottega Veneta suit, then Maddy saves her. — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 29 May 2026 Over-regulation strangles the economy! — Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 28 May 2026 Ground cover plants around trees can lead to root girdling—where the cover essentially strangles the tree, threatening its health. — Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 30 Apr. 2026 As Iran strangles the Strait of Hormuz, countries have scrambled for alternative routes. — Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2026 As Grace looks on in horror, her soon-to-be husband strangles Ursula and snaps her neck. — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026 Mostly, though, Boland strangles batters with his suffocating and deadly-accurate line and length. — Tim Spiers, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for strangles

Verb

Remove chokes from artichokes and steam in small amount of water for 15 minutes, adding water to pan as needed.

— Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2026
Connecticut’s largest cities also struggle with the state’s highest property tax rates, which chokes business growth and, in turn, shifts more burden onto residential owners.

— Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 19 June 2026

Definition of chokes

Verb

The pure, post-Bee Gees charisma Bellamy mustered in the 2000s seems to have vacated him entirely, and the song’s funkiness suffocates under the flatness of his delivery.

— Liam Inscoe-Jones, Pitchfork, 1 July 2026
The tension suffocates as He-Man reaches for his Power Sword, but Skeletor isn't backing down here either.

— Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 3 June 2026

Definition of suffocates

Verb

Normally, this modifier gene suppresses the creation of a second kind of hemoglobin, typically made only during fetal development; repressing the gene prompts cells to start making the fetal form of hemoglobin again, which acts as a backup.

— Roxanne Khamsi, The Atlantic, 7 July 2026
Enbrel partially suppresses the immune system, reducing damage from rheumatoid arthritis and five other diseases where the body attacks its own tissues.

— Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 7 July 2026

Definition of suppresses

Verb

Up in the attic, a melty miasma smothers the thick winter coats, which hurt me to even look at.

— Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 15 June 2026
But needy, possessive Nikki smothers Bear, and what plays out is a horrifying tale of obsessive love gone wrong — sour, curdled and violent.

— Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 23 May 2026

Definition of smothers

Verb

Most of the peril comes with dangerous ship-wrecking moments, including one that implies the death of Moana's relative, while our heroine herself almost drowns on her first voyage from land.

— Brian Truitt, USA Today, 9 July 2026
The show involved bizarre, absurdist comedy premises — in one episode, a man drowns in a bowl of Mary’s chicken soup — and satirized the effects of consumerism on the American housewife.

— Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 7 July 2026

Definition of drowns

Verb

Ground-level testing often gets distorted by background emissions from surrounding soil and vegetation, while flying delicate sensors directly into corrosive plumes rapidly destroys the equipment.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 13 July 2026
Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, a crass and charismatic oil executive who’s called upon to help save the world after his company nearly destroys it.

— Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 13 July 2026

Definition of destroys

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strangleholds

strangles

strangling

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“Strangles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strangles. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of strangles

verb

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