stranglehold
noun
stran·gle·hold
ˈstraŋ-gəl-ˌhōld 
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.
Inc.Examples of stranglehold in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Instead, Vladar exceeded everyone's expectations and took a stranglehold of the starting job.
—
Tom Dougherty,
CBS News,
1 July 2026
Police officials and advocates for trafficking victims say the Hoovers gang, which formed in the 1970s, has long held a stranglehold along Figueroa.
—
Brittny Mejia,
Los Angeles Times,
1 July 2026
The court’s decision in the latter case gives a president with an expansive view of his power a green light to increase his stranglehold over independent federal agencies.
—
Josh Feldman,
NBC news,
30 June 2026
Militia commanders were already feeling slighted by their British overlords, and London’s stranglehold on trade and manufacturing caused still more resentment.
—
Ann Manov,
Harpers Magazine,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for stranglehold
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Tom Dougherty,
CBS News,
1 July 2026
Police officials and advocates for trafficking victims say the Hoovers gang, which formed in the 1970s, has long held a stranglehold along Figueroa.
—
Brittny Mejia,
Los Angeles Times,
1 July 2026
The court’s decision in the latter case gives a president with an expansive view of his power a green light to increase his stranglehold over independent federal agencies.
—
Josh Feldman,
NBC news,
30 June 2026
Militia commanders were already feeling slighted by their British overlords, and London’s stranglehold on trade and manufacturing caused still more resentment.
—
Ann Manov,
Harpers Magazine,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for stranglehold
Cite this Entry
“Stranglehold.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stranglehold. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
stranglehold
noun
stran·gle·hold
ˈstraŋ-gəl-ˌhōld
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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