Definition of throttlenext
as in to choke
to keep (someone) from breathing by exerting pressure on the windpipe I was so angry at what he was saying that I could have throttled him!

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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 throttle Overall, Newsom has tended to favor attempts to protect children and other vulnerable groups from AI, while opposing measures that could throttle the industry’s growth. Dan Walters, Mercury News, 6 Feb. 2026 The idea is a weaker currency boosts exports and employment while a strong currency can throttle an economy. Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026 The matchup dynamic is fairly straightforward in that Saint Denis is a super aggressive, pace grappler who has throttled most of his competition on the mat. Brett Appley, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026 Between the Good and Pretti shootings, GOP operatives had been hammering how Democratic incumbents and challengers in competitive 2026 midterm races were embracing anti-ICE positions, which echoed those previous calls to throttle the agency. Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 29 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for throttle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for throttle
Verb
  • Recalled because a mixing error resulted in small cornstarch clumps in the product, resulting in a choking hazard.
    Josh Kelly, Oklahoman, 27 Feb. 2026
  • Levy brought the dog in dead and claimed that that the dog had a seizure and was vomiting, choking and twitching before his death.
    Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 27 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Benjamin Robinson, president of the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s design and planning student group, lives in South Plaza and said parking minimums strangle the city out of making housing more affordable.
    Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 25 Feb. 2026
  • According to court records, Trotter stabbed and strangled Langford on June 16, 1986, at her store in Palmetto near the southern edge of Tampa Bay.
    David Fischer, Sun Sentinel, 24 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Throttle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/throttle. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.

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