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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of strangling
Heuermann admitted in April to strangling all of his victims over a 17-year span beginning in 1993.
—
Janelle Griffith,
PEOPLE,
17 June 2026
Heuermann, 62, admitted in April to strangling eight women and leaving their remains in remote areas of Long Island between 1993 and 2010, which have been dubbed the Gilgo Beach killings.
—
Rena Rowe,
The Washington Examiner,
17 June 2026
He had been arrested for allegedly strangling his then-girlfriend, Johnny Faye Cartwright, in 2020.
—
Jennifer Maas,
Variety,
10 June 2026
Gas prices have jumped by well over a dollar a gallon since the war began, strangling shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz — a critical pathway for much of the world's oil supply.
—
Scott Horsley,
NPR,
10 June 2026
Prosecutors declined to file charges and Saenz was later granted a permanent restraining order against that ex-boyfriend, according to court records, after he was convicted of battering and strangling her.
—
Shira Moolten,
Sun Sentinel,
4 June 2026
The suspect allegedly put the victim in a headlock, strangling him, and preventing him from breathing.
—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
1 June 2026
Now the road blocks strangling La Paz have entered their fourth week.
—
ABC News,
27 May 2026
Prosecutors accuse Farwell of strangling Birchmore to death in February 2021 inside her Canton apartment.
—
Matt Schooley,
CBS News,
26 May 2026
Janelle Griffith,
PEOPLE,
17 June 2026
Heuermann, 62, admitted in April to strangling eight women and leaving their remains in remote areas of Long Island between 1993 and 2010, which have been dubbed the Gilgo Beach killings.
—
Rena Rowe,
The Washington Examiner,
17 June 2026
He had been arrested for allegedly strangling his then-girlfriend, Johnny Faye Cartwright, in 2020.
—
Jennifer Maas,
Variety,
10 June 2026
Gas prices have jumped by well over a dollar a gallon since the war began, strangling shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz — a critical pathway for much of the world's oil supply.
—
Scott Horsley,
NPR,
10 June 2026
Prosecutors declined to file charges and Saenz was later granted a permanent restraining order against that ex-boyfriend, according to court records, after he was convicted of battering and strangling her.
—
Shira Moolten,
Sun Sentinel,
4 June 2026
The suspect allegedly put the victim in a headlock, strangling him, and preventing him from breathing.
—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
1 June 2026
Now the road blocks strangling La Paz have entered their fourth week.
—
ABC News,
27 May 2026
Prosecutors accuse Farwell of strangling Birchmore to death in February 2021 inside her Canton apartment.
—
Matt Schooley,
CBS News,
26 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strangling
Verb
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According to the criminal complaint, the boy told police Diggs began choking him before dragging him into the nearby alley.
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Officer Nicholas Samartino of the Woodbridge Police Department responded to a report that a 5-day-old infant was choking and experiencing difficulty breathing back in May, according to police.
Verb
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Candor, without the balance of Humility, Temperance, and Collaboration, risks hardening into rigidity, creating blind spots and stifling relationships.
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There are so many etiquette rules stifling the truth.
Verb
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Olivia Taylor, the assistant manager of the swim school, says clearing up misconceptions about what drowning actually looks like and getting anyone comfortable in and around the water, are some of the most important parts of teaching someone how to swim.
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Forty-three years ago on June 29, Delaney — the promising Chiefs running back who was the 1981 AFC Rookie of the Year — died trying to save three children drowning in a park in Monroe, Louisiana.
Verb
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Increase Your Protein Intake Protein increases satiety hormones while suppressing hunger hormones.
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Firms also comply with privacy frameworks such as the GDPR and the CCPA when working across jurisdictions and refuse engagements that would require suppressing truthful, lawful reporting.
Verb
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That, along with high temperatures, led to low oxygen levels in the water, suffocating and killing fish across a 20-mile stretch, according to CBS News.
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Played by Kingston Rumi Southwick, Evan spends much of the season pushing against the suffocating boundaries set by his father Tom Loftis, portrayed by Matthew Rhys, only for a shocking revelation to fundamentally reshape their relationship by the finale.
Verb
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Patients may initially experience jaw stiffness, neck pain, back pain or difficulty swallowing.
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An alligator at the Sacramento Zoo is recovering after swallowing – and later regurgitating – a plush toy that fell into its habitat.
Verb
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The Boston Bruins would like to incorporate the Hurricanes’ smothering defense and relentless attack.
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Natural methods like smothering with a tarp, flame weeding, or pulling by hand can effectively eliminate white clover.
Cite this Entry
“Strangling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strangling. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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