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
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Recent Examples of strangling
Becky is dehydrated and delirious, but manages to nourish herself after strangling and eating a vulture that attacked her on the platform.
—
Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Feb. 2026
With a three-decade record of violent crime that includes strangling a pregnant woman and firing a shotgun under a person's chin, McKay was scheduled to stand trial next month on methamphetamine trafficking charges that could have locked him up for 25 years.
—ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026
Elsewhere, Dennis Basso achieved a similar neck-strangling effect using lace, this time in black dotted with sequins and, of course, ostrich feathers.
—Ari Stark, Footwear News, 17 Feb. 2026
Reuters reported that the medals featured a safety clip, intended to snap off when pulled forcefully to prevent the ribbon from strangling.
—Juliana Kim, NPR, 12 Feb. 2026
The Federal Reserve is handcuffed, unable to cut rates without reigniting inflation, yet unable to hold them without strangling growth.
—Katica Roy, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
According to the indictment, McCray is accused of strangling the victim.
—Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 3 Feb. 2026
At his hearing Tuesday, Adams admitted strangling Murray himself.
—William Morris, Des Moines Register, 21 Jan. 2026
Also last November, another jury said Rafael Andres should be sent back to Florida’s Death Row for beating, stabbing and strangling a La Carreta waitress with a rice-cooker cord in 2005.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 20 Jan. 2026
Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Feb. 2026
With a three-decade record of violent crime that includes strangling a pregnant woman and firing a shotgun under a person's chin, McKay was scheduled to stand trial next month on methamphetamine trafficking charges that could have locked him up for 25 years.
—ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026
Elsewhere, Dennis Basso achieved a similar neck-strangling effect using lace, this time in black dotted with sequins and, of course, ostrich feathers.
—Ari Stark, Footwear News, 17 Feb. 2026
Reuters reported that the medals featured a safety clip, intended to snap off when pulled forcefully to prevent the ribbon from strangling.
—Juliana Kim, NPR, 12 Feb. 2026
The Federal Reserve is handcuffed, unable to cut rates without reigniting inflation, yet unable to hold them without strangling growth.
—Katica Roy, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
According to the indictment, McCray is accused of strangling the victim.
—Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 3 Feb. 2026
At his hearing Tuesday, Adams admitted strangling Murray himself.
—William Morris, Des Moines Register, 21 Jan. 2026
Also last November, another jury said Rafael Andres should be sent back to Florida’s Death Row for beating, stabbing and strangling a La Carreta waitress with a rice-cooker cord in 2005.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 20 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strangling
Verb
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Patients usually experience severe disability within three to five years of symptoms beginning and may experience complications including choking, pneumonia or head injuries from falls.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
17 Feb. 2026
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The characteristics and size of the small starch clumps could constitute a choking hazard, said Mondelez Global, which owns the brand, particularly in young children and the elderly.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The soul singer left the stifling Mississippi heat for cool Minneapolis in 1955.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Feb. 2026
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Expanding your team, shouldering more projects, and growing your office space may seem like natural progressions for a successful studio—but AD100 designer Miles Redd believes that accruing too much overhead can actually be stifling.—
AD PRO,
Architectural Digest,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Properly extinguish outdoor fires by drowning them with plenty of water, and never leave a fire unattended.—
Cooper Worth,
Des Moines Register,
18 Feb. 2026
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But now that regulations are here, brands and suppliers alike are drowning in it.—
Tara Donaldson,
Vogue,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The big-wave surfer Laird Hamilton, for example, uses ice-bath plunges to rehearse suppressing panic and practice self-calming.—
Sally Jenkins,
The Atlantic,
21 Feb. 2026
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But Vance’s false accusations at last year’s conference – that Europe is suppressing freedom of speech and democracy, and facing civilizational decline – are now enshrined in US national security strategy.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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And while the offense was flowing, the defense was suffocating a quickly tiring San Jose State squad.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
21 Feb. 2026
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At its best, Tudor’s out-of-possession approach is suffocating, a full-blooded style that excites fans and sets adrenaline pumping through the team.—
Thom Harris,
New York Times,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Progressive supranuclear palsy is a rare brain disease that affects body movements, walking and balance, eye movements and swallowing, according to the Mayo Clinic.—
Bebe Hodges,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
17 Feb. 2026
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Progressive supranuclear palsy, also known as Steele-Richardson-Olszewski syndrome, is a rare neurological disorder that impacts walking, balance, eye movement and swallowing, according to the Mayo Clinic.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This list includes invasive species that spread across the landscape, smothering everything in their path (like kudzu, of course), as well as fast-growing native species, like trumpet vine and Virginia creeper, which spread quickly and can become a nuisance in yards and gardens.—
Steve Bender,
Southern Living,
19 Feb. 2026
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The Seahawks never lost again, capping the season by smothering the New England Patriots in a 29-13 victory in Super Bowl 60 on Sunday night.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Strangling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strangling. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
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