choke

verb

ˈchōk How to pronounce choke (audio)
Definition of chokenext
1
as in to strangle
to keep (someone) from breathing by exerting pressure on the windpipe let go of my throat—you're choking me!

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to vomit
to experience complete or partial blockage of the windpipe the recommended procedure for helping someone who is choking

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to suffocate
to be or cause to be killed by lack of breathable air thick, black smoke choked the trapped firefighters

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4
as in to block
to prevent passage through by filling with something overgrown bushes choked the narrow alleyway between the buildings

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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 choke Among those arrested were individuals accused of choking their partners and assaulting their children, the sheriff’s office said. — Tanya Babbar, Houston Chronicle, 16 Oct. 2026 Biddy covered most of the journey on foot—the equivalent of about six million steps—herding animals at the rear of her owner’s wagon company and choking her way through a moving screen of dust kicked up by the migrant caravan. — Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026 The men, or sometimes women, who hit them, pulled their hair or choked them, bruising their throats. — Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica, 14 Oct. 2026 Metal barricades choked the streets as police moved against young demonstrators, beating some, dragging others into buses and chasing away the rest. — ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for choke
Recent Examples of Synonyms for choke
  1. strangle
  2. vomit
  3. suffocate
  4. block
  5. throttle
  6. obstruct
  7. jam
Verb
  • Michael MacIvor was hit in the back of the head with a blunt object and kicked in the midsection before being strangled.
    — CBS Miami Team, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Wandering further afield, Wright recounts the case of Walker Railey, a Methodist minister accused of strangling his wife and leaving her in a vegetative state.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of strangle
Verb
  • At some point that night, Ammann vomited black fluid, Frei later testified.
    — D. T. Max, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
  • On the surface, his new album Antione’s Son is the same old same old—airy melodies, drug talk, vomiting ad-libs—but punched up by suburban ennui and in-the-weeds romantic tales that makes the music feel refreshingly personal.
    — Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of vomit
Verb
  • The combination of Chance downing teams inside the 10-yard line combined with a suffocating defense could be a recipe for success for TCU in the final half of the season.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Ohio State could still beat USC on the road, even with a backup, considering the Trojans' struggles to win big games under Riley and their suffocating defense.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of suffocate
Verb
  • Taiwanese regulators blocked a previous deal involving Foodpanda.
    — Jay Ganglani, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • In 2024, Texas similarly blocked the Biden-era DOJ from election monitoring.
    — Miles Parks, NPR, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of block
Verb
  • Every business has to at least now consider, as standard risk management, how Musk could conceivably throttle vital Starlink service despite prior contractual agreements.
    — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Steven Tian, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026
  • As of Wednesday afternoon, Starlink remained throttled, Zelenskyy's office confirmed.
    — Aidan Stretch, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of throttle
Verb
  • The mollusks can form dense colonies that clog pipes, obstruct water flow and foul boat motors.
    — Daniel Hunt, Sacbee.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • During the investigation, it was alleged that Stewart, who is a resident, returned to the property and was later taken into custody for obstructing a peace officer.
    — Jeramie Bizzle, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of obstruct
Verb
  • Drone-on-drone interception – Bumblebee V2 Instead of firing a missile or jamming a signal, the Bumblebee V2 is designed to collide directly with hostile drones.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The family also believes the burglars may have jammed the home's Wi-Fi signal, disabling security cameras during the break-in.
    — Adi Guajardo, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of jam

Phrases Containing choke

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choirs
choke
choke (back)
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Cite this Entry

“Choke.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/choke. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on choke

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about choke

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