1
as in choking
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 throttling
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 stifling
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 strangling
Rader would often stalk his victims, some for months, before binding their arms and legs, then slowly strangling them (with the exception of Bright).
—
Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 11 Oct. 2025
He was sentenced to die in 1983 for raping and strangling a woman in Newberry County and stealing her jewelry, according to court records.
—Greg Norman, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2025
Daryl charges inside and fights off walkers before strangling Chofo in the bathtub.
—Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 5 Oct. 2025
In other parts of the world, political violence grips countries after every change in leadership, strangling their nation, and putting lives at risk every day.
—Joshua Rhett Miller, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
But these advances are also strangling the business of the dictionary.
—Stefan Fatsis, The Atlantic, 13 Sep. 2025
After law enforcement left, the district attorney’s office said Sumpter attacked the woman, punching her in the face and strangling her.
—Daniella Segura, Sacbee.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Visualizing the ropes of the nets twisting around the necks of these animals, slowly strangling, choking, running out of oxygen.
—Suwanna Gauntlett Upjohn, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
More than 80 percent of the invasive plants strangling native ecosystems in Indiana originate from landscaping and horticulture introductions, according to the Hamilton County Invasives Partnership, which runs the trade-in program with the Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 20 Aug. 2025
Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 11 Oct. 2025
He was sentenced to die in 1983 for raping and strangling a woman in Newberry County and stealing her jewelry, according to court records.
—Greg Norman, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2025
Daryl charges inside and fights off walkers before strangling Chofo in the bathtub.
—Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 5 Oct. 2025
In other parts of the world, political violence grips countries after every change in leadership, strangling their nation, and putting lives at risk every day.
—Joshua Rhett Miller, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
But these advances are also strangling the business of the dictionary.
—Stefan Fatsis, The Atlantic, 13 Sep. 2025
After law enforcement left, the district attorney’s office said Sumpter attacked the woman, punching her in the face and strangling her.
—Daniella Segura, Sacbee.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Visualizing the ropes of the nets twisting around the necks of these animals, slowly strangling, choking, running out of oxygen.
—Suwanna Gauntlett Upjohn, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
More than 80 percent of the invasive plants strangling native ecosystems in Indiana originate from landscaping and horticulture introductions, according to the Hamilton County Invasives Partnership, which runs the trade-in program with the Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strangling
Verb
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How about firing choking smoke bombs at them?—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
11 Oct. 2025
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In 2019 he was charged with assault and accused of choking and pushing a woman and preventing her from calling 911.—
Shelly Bradbury,
Denver Post,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Instead of letting the quality or design speak for itself, brands relied heavily on their own logos or experiences, stifling their innovation in the process.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
16 Oct. 2025
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Advertisement Advancing not stifling creativity Kakul Srivastava, CEO of music-sample marketplace Splice, delivered the next toast, which honored human creativity and emphasized the importance of technology that enables rather than restricts it.—
Zoe Corbyn,
Time,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Everyone can participate without drowning in a sea of sameness, à la the Labubu epidemic of 2025.—
Sam Reed,
Glamour,
10 Oct. 2025
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Robinson is Henry, a runaway slave from a plantation in southern Texas; Quijada is Carlos, a former medic in the Mexican army who rescues Henry from drowning in the Rio Grande but remains suspicious of him.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Pocketbook issues – high prices of goods, inflation and possible weakening in the labor market – are suppressing sentiment.—
Joanne Hsu,
The Conversation,
10 Oct. 2025
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This group includes patients undergoing cancer treatment, transplant recipients and individuals taking immune-suppressing medications.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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What these two actors take on is undeniably brave, even as the movie tilts toward becoming suffocating, which is intentional.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
15 Oct. 2025
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Mainstream rap nowadays is suffocating from meaningless rivalries, subliminal shots for stans to decode and misinterpret, and redundant talk of who’s really in the streets and who’s snitching.—
Mosi Reeves,
Rolling Stone,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Live little fish on our tongues and swallowing them.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
14 Oct. 2025
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The platform has evolved into the default center of gravity for the creator economy, swallowing categories like music, gaming, education, and now podcasts.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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On the table next to Captain Purdie’s bunk is what looks like a copper coin, a fringe of glutinous seaweed smothering it to the surface of the wood.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Oct. 2025
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Tight end Dalton Kincaid continues to be a steady target in the middle of the field, and the Buffalo defense has been just as dominant, smothering passing attacks and forcing timely turnovers.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Strangling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strangling. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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