How to Use choke up in a Sentence

choke up

verb
  • Theresa can be heard choking up as her mom unwraps the gift.
    — Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Phillips said that Turner choked up with emotion.
    — Todd Wilkinson, Denver Post, 27 May 2026
  • Roaldi choked up when recalling that fun night.
    — Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Wiseman was visibly choked up, and the four crewmembers stood to hug on stage.
    — Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 11 Apr. 2026
  • That's probably the reason I'm choked up most.
    — Matt Schooley, CBS News, 9 Feb. 2026
  • He got choked up while speaking fondly about his wife Tonya and how much her support has meant to him.
    — Dane Mizutani, Twin Cities, 30 May 2026
  • But the eighth-year veteran got choked up the most talking about Herbert.
    — Benjamin Royer, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2026
  • Either way, his one swing, with his hands choked up a few inches on his bat, lives on in its own pantheon of franchise lore.
    — Zack Meisel, New York Times, 15 May 2026
  • But the eighth-year veteran got choked up the most talking about Justin Herbert.
    — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2026
  • His sister, Trawonna Barron, choked up and wiped away tears.
    — Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 18 Dec. 2025
  • An export ban could help keep Cushing from running dry and threatening to choke up the whole system.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 12 June 2026
  • Lee audibly choked up during songs, and fans openly wept during the Peart tributes.
    — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 10 June 2026
  • Meiner got choked up after listening to his colleagues’ remarks.
    — Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2026
  • Recalling the conversation, the former shortstop choked up with emotion and buried his face in his hands.
    — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
  • The woman remained composed through much of her testimony, though she got choked up several times.
    — CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
  • McGonigle looked down at his parents, Tracy and Kevin George, as he got choked up.
    — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026
  • Davis took the stage at the Beverly Hilton to honor her costar, getting choked up multiple times during her speech.
    — Emily Longeretta, Variety, 9 Jan. 2026
  • Cusack told Entertainment Weekly in April how she got choked up after first reading the script.
    — Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 10 June 2026
  • Watch as Larry chokes up, realizing his last name will continue through this meaningful tribute.
    — Ronnie Li, USA Today, 30 Dec. 2025
  • Pelley, who choked up several times during the hour-long podcast conversation, said he was blindsided by the decision to fire him.
    — Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 7 June 2026
  • Another popular meme was spawned by an interview where Grande choked up, and took a long pause, after she was asked how working with Erivo has changed her.
    — Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 16 Feb. 2026
  • Martin was diagnosed with aggressive stage 2b breast cancer in 2023, and was choked up by her colleagues' gesture.
    — Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Apr. 2026
  • Mutlu became choked up several times while answering several questions.
    — Penny Kmitt, CBS News, 10 Dec. 2025
  • The assistant manager choked up during his testimony.
    — Dan Morse The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 23 Jan. 2026
  • Somehow, Kopitar managed to keep his emotions together while delivering comments that most dads out there wouldn't have been able to get through without choking up.
    — Mark Harris Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
  • At a news conference later Thursday, an emotional Pritzker choked up while again extending his sympathies.
    — Kate Reilly, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Claire Leon, an operating room technician in Valley Stream, got choked up at the thought of fellow Haitians being forced to return.
    — CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
  • Crystal appeared to get choked up at the top of the interview, when Colbert asked about the ensemble tribute to Reiner during the Oscars last month.
    — Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
  • Jimmy Kimmel chokes up over Charlie Kirk's widow Erika in emotional monologue.
    — Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 24 Sep. 2025
  • Afterward, Napier choked up the first time he was asked about his future, then declined to look beyond enjoying a celebratory postgame dinner with his family.
    — Matt Baker, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'choke up.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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