stranglehold

noun

stran·​gle·​hold ˈstraŋ-gəl-ˌhōld How to pronounce stranglehold (audio)
Synonyms of strangleholdnext
1
: an illegal wrestling hold by which one's opponent is choked
2
: a force or influence that stops something from growing or developing
… opened three stores within a year and got a stranglehold on market share.—Inc.

Examples of stranglehold in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
In 1381, England’s working class grabbed their pitchforks and rose against tyrannical landlords, extortionate taxes, and the stranglehold of serfdom. — Alessandra Schade, Vanity Fair, 28 Oct. 2026 Long marches across the country also enabled the students to voice their cause in smaller towns and villages, where people were unaware of the protestors’ aims because of the state’s stranglehold on the media. — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2026 Interest in the new carve-out is said to have been tempered by ESPN’s stranglehold over the high-impact January games. — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 15 Oct. 2026 Now, there’s a growing coalition trying to revive condo construction in California by reforming a decades-old law that housing advocates and developers say has put a stranglehold on condo development. — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stranglehold

Word History

First Known Use

1893, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stranglehold was in 1893

Rhymes for stranglehold

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Browse Nearby Words

strangle
stranglehold
strangler
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Cite this Entry

“Stranglehold.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stranglehold. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

stranglehold

noun
stran·​gle·​hold ˈstraŋ-gəl-ˌhōld How to pronounce stranglehold (audio)
1
: an illegal wrestling hold by which one's opponent is choked
2
: a force or influence that chokes or blocks freedom of development or expression

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