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 suppresses freedom of movement or expression

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.
But the likelihood that Florida still wins that matchup anyway is bad math for Carolina, which normally has a stranglehold further down the lineup. Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 20 May 2025 Niwot’s Addison Ritzenhein’s stranglehold on the Class 4A girls 3,200 meter race continued Thursday morning, as the junior breezed to her third straight state title in the event. Matt Schubert, Denver Post, 16 May 2025 But for the United States, there’s a problem: China has a stranglehold on rare earths. Mark Dent, HubSpot, 9 May 2025 Last week, the government called executives from several major AI companies, like OpenAI and Perplexity, in an attempt to argue that Google's stranglehold on search is preventing some of those companies from truly growing. Jaclyn Diaz, NPR, 29 Apr. 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Stranglehold.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stranglehold. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on stranglehold

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