CHOKING Synonyms: 69 Similar and Opposite Words

choking

verb

Definition of choking

present participle of choke

as in strangling

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

as in vomiting

to experience complete or partial blockage of the windpipe the recommended procedure for helping someone who is choking

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as in drowning

to be or cause to be killed by lack of breathable air thick, black smoke choked the trapped firefighters

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as in blocking

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 choking And how about the Colts choking yesterday against the TITANS of all teams? — Zach Dean Outkick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026 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 On top of store closures and unsold inventory, the company was choking on enormous debt from a private equity buyout in 2014. — Phil Wahba, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026 DeShantz is also accused of choking the woman and throwing her to the ground outside of his home in the city's Allentown neighborhood. — Mike Darnay, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026 Car seats, walkers and other baby gear sold at Target have been recalled due to choking hazards and the risk of serious injury from falls. — Sacbee.com, 23 Sep. 2026 Loud persistent snoring, sudden gasping or choking for air, waking with a dry mouth and breathing pauses a partner usually notices first. — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 23 Sep. 2026 During their time dating, Flowers’ friends and family received a video of Plummer striking Flowers, choking her and throwing her to the ground, prosecutors said. — Allison Kiehl, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for choking

Verb

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
Prosecutors said Navarrete got his parents into the garage and struck both his mother and father on the head with an object, before strangling them to death while facing them.

— Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of strangling

Verb

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
Robertson said that about two days later, her daughter started vomiting, developed a high fever, and had severe diarrhea.

— Erin Jones, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of vomiting

Verb

Naya Rivera died of an accidental drowning in 2020 and Cory Monteith died of an accidental overdose in 2013.

— Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026
In the years since the series concluded, another loss was suffered as Rivera, who played Santana Lopez, died from drowning in 2020 after going boating with her four-year-old son.

— Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of drowning

Verb

Prop 42 would bar retroactive taxes and ban new state taxes on personal property, effectively blocking Prop 40.

— Bilin Lin, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
Or maybe Kosmos 2612 was actively interfering with ICEYE-X36 in some way — messing with its sensors, perhaps, or blocking or intercepting its communications with the ground.

— Mike Wall, Space.com, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of blocking

Verb

The federal agency also warned that obstructing immigration officers is a federal crime.

— Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 22 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 obstructing

Verb

Its frothy, pastel hues and single moment of contrived levity (when one dance claims a trumpet solo for a joke about jamming her toe) is one of those quintessential examples of Balanchine’s repertoire showing its age.

— Lauren Warnecke, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
The team identified a process known as jamming, in which the movement of these regions becomes increasingly restricted.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of jamming

Verb

In contrast, Golden Week (which starts in early October) is Hong Kong's busiest travel period and sees an enormous amount of tour groups flock to the city, filling up shopping malls and overwhelming the main tourist attractions.

— Lee Cobaj, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Oct. 2026
No one makes it through the front door without a warm welcome, then to be greeted by walls of yarn and crafting tables filling the floor space.

— Joy Benedict, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026