1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
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
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Recent Examples of strangles
Mostly, though, Boland strangles batters with his suffocating and deadly-accurate line and length.
—
Tim Spiers, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
What starts as an innocent father/daughter college visit takes a shocking turn when Tony brutally strangles a Mob turncoat.
—Dan Snierson, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Dec. 2025
What worked at ten employees strangles progress at one hundred.
—Brent Gleeson, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
At that point, both Hsiao-Lee’s life and our perspective open up toward something more hopeful, even if plenty of turmoil — including another unbearable scene in which Chiang nearly strangles Chuan to death — continues back home.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
Tim Spiers, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
What starts as an innocent father/daughter college visit takes a shocking turn when Tony brutally strangles a Mob turncoat.
—Dan Snierson, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Dec. 2025
What worked at ten employees strangles progress at one hundred.
—Brent Gleeson, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
At that point, both Hsiao-Lee’s life and our perspective open up toward something more hopeful, even if plenty of turmoil — including another unbearable scene in which Chiang nearly strangles Chuan to death — continues back home.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strangles
Verb
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Physical bullying happens when a child hits, kicks, trips, pushes, chokes or otherwise hurts another child.—
Dr. Mahvash Madni,
Boston Herald,
4 Jan. 2026
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Left to die, breathless and alone, Invisigal chokes while Robert screams from the other end of the comms.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Administrative red tape stifles growth Beyond direct financial costs, small business owners are struggling with a sudden increase in bureaucratic red tape.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
29 Dec. 2025
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Over-regulation stifles American growth and aids China in this crucial race for global strength.—
Samuel Field,
Boston Herald,
25 Dec. 2025
Verb
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When the truth is crushed in one place, freedom suffocates everywhere.—
Eve Batey,
Vanity Fair,
18 Jan. 2026
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When the truth is crushed in one place, freedom suffocates everywhere.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The crab-eating frog, on the other hand, suppresses urea excretion during salt exposure, which allows the levels to rise safely.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
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This suppresses the release of the sleep hormone melatonin and promotes alertness.—
Rebecca Fearn,
SELF,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Complexity smothers everything, like Japanese knotweed.—
Adrian Wooldridge,
Twin Cities,
6 Dec. 2025
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If either smothers the grass for long periods, this can compact soil and lead to mold problems.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
29 Nov. 2025
Verb
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There is also something about a theme park that swallows you up.—
Kimberly Zapata,
Parents,
19 Dec. 2025
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Once attached, the virus slides along the surface until the cell reshapes itself and swallows the virus inside.—
Pranjal Malewar,
New Atlas,
12 Dec. 2025
Verb
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What should be a fast minimum viable product (MVP) becomes a bloated prototype that delays launch and drowns out real user feedback.—
Renae Gregoire,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
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Walking through the stadium, the sea of red Indiana jerseys drowns out the orange and green of Miami.—
Michael Butler,
Miami Herald,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
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An excuse or explanation by itself, even while being transparent, destroys trust.—
Shep Hyken,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
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Beyond the immediate loss of land, erosion frequently exposes or destroys historic and archaeological sites.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Strangles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strangles. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
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