strangles

verb

Definition of stranglesnext
present tense third-person singular of strangle
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

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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

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 Adler said studies show that when one partner strangles another, the likelihood of a victim being killed by that partner goes up 750%. — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 28 July 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strangles
  1. chokes
  2. stifles
  3. suffocates
  4. suppresses
  5. smothers
  6. swallows
  7. drowns
  8. destroys
Verb
  • One boy loops his arm around the student’s neck and chokes him.
    — Jennifer Smith Richards, ProPublica, 24 July 2026
  • 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
Definition of chokes
Verb
  • Industry consensus has long held that rigorous ESG compliance naturally stifles speed-to-market.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Attorneys general, including California’s Rob Bonta, allege that the transaction stifles competition across wide-release theatrical film distribution, big-budget blockbusters, and basic cable television channel licensing.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of stifles
Verb
  • Landscape fabric suffocates microorganisms, blocks nutrients, and degrades into microplastics.
    — Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 July 2026
  • 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
Definition of suffocates
Verb
  • Warming suppresses upwelling — which normally allows colder, deeper and nutrient-rich ocean water to rise closer to the surface.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Testosterone therapy suppresses the body's production of sperm and, in some cases, can lead to permanent infertility.
    — Will Stone, NPR, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of suppresses
Verb
  • The writing — and its sometimes baffling aversion to the source material — is at the heart of the problem, but there’s plenty of blame to go around, from hammy acting to a cartoonish tone that smothers the whole affair.
    — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 11 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Definition of smothers
Verb
  • Yancy falls to the ground, and the hallway effectively swallows him up, leaving him heartbroken and alone.
    — Barry Levitt, Time, 23 July 2026
  • There also tends to be an excess of fabric to accommodate differing torso lengths, which swallows my 5-foot-2 frame.
    — Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 21 July 2026
Definition of swallows
Verb
  • James eventually drowns, leaving Sara and Max to continue alone.
    — Isadora Wandermurem, Time, 29 July 2026
  • 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
Definition of drowns
Verb
  • T cells, a type of immune cell that detects and destroys infected or abnormal cells, normally perform this inspection.
    — William A. Haseltine, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The white dwarf emits radiation and produces a giant gas bubble—the lion’s face—that destroys dust in its path.
    — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of destroys

Browse Nearby Words

strangleholds
strangles
strangling
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Cite this Entry

“Strangles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strangles. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on strangles

Nglish: Translation of strangles for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about strangles

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