1
as in chokes
to be or cause to be killed by lack of breathable air
the gull got tangled in a piece of fishing line on the beach and was strangled
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in throttles
to keep (someone) from breathing by exerting pressure on the windpipe
the boy complained that he was being strangled by his tie
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in stifles
to refrain from openly showing or uttering
strangled a gasp of surprise upon hearing the news
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of strangles
Ground cover plants around trees can lead to root girdling—where the cover essentially strangles the tree, threatening its health.
—
Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 30 Apr. 2026
As Iran strangles the Strait of Hormuz, countries have scrambled for alternative routes.
—Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2026
As Grace looks on in horror, her soon-to-be husband strangles Ursula and snaps her neck.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
Mostly, though, Boland strangles batters with his suffocating and deadly-accurate line and length.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
What starts as an innocent father/daughter college visit takes a shocking turn when Tony brutally strangles a Mob turncoat.
—Dan Snierson, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Dec. 2025
What worked at ten employees strangles progress at one hundred.
—Brent Gleeson, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
At that point, both Hsiao-Lee’s life and our perspective open up toward something more hopeful, even if plenty of turmoil — including another unbearable scene in which Chiang nearly strangles Chuan to death — continues back home.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 30 Apr. 2026
As Iran strangles the Strait of Hormuz, countries have scrambled for alternative routes.
—Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2026
As Grace looks on in horror, her soon-to-be husband strangles Ursula and snaps her neck.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
Mostly, though, Boland strangles batters with his suffocating and deadly-accurate line and length.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
What starts as an innocent father/daughter college visit takes a shocking turn when Tony brutally strangles a Mob turncoat.
—Dan Snierson, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Dec. 2025
What worked at ten employees strangles progress at one hundred.
—Brent Gleeson, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
At that point, both Hsiao-Lee’s life and our perspective open up toward something more hopeful, even if plenty of turmoil — including another unbearable scene in which Chiang nearly strangles Chuan to death — continues back home.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strangles
Verb
-
Not the one who chokes in the playoffs.—
Geoff Clark OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
-
Democratic lawmakers aren’t particularly sympathetic to the industry, pointing to reports of soaring profits for oil companies as the war chokes consumers around the world.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
That stifles competition at home and, with China’s dependence on global consumption, raises concerns about dumping and deflation abroad.—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
14 May 2026
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Balance the state budget and tackle affordability while working with cities to promote small businesses to hire more by creating a business friendly environment such as cutting taxes and cutting red tape that stifles growth.—
Kaitlyn Schallhorn,
Oc Register,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
Constantly soggy soil suffocates roots and invites rot — the plant equivalent of trench foot.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Kansas City Star,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Most beginners assume more water equals healthier plants, but constantly soggy soil suffocates roots and triggers rot.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Sacbee.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Bright light in the 2,500-10,000 lux range during the first six hours of a night shift suppresses melatonin and enhances alertness.—
Allison Palmer,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 May 2026
-
Bright light in the 2,500-10,000 lux range during the first six hours of a shift suppresses melatonin and sharpens alertness.—
Allison Palmer,
Sacbee.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Carson smothers it over a crisp and shattering tortilla with tart pickled jalapeño, silky avocado crema and a blizzard of cotija cheese.—
Louisa Kung Liu Chu,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
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Once in flowerbeds and vegetable gardens, the plant depletes potassium necessary for plant health and smothers low-growing plants.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
So bad that no transaction based on similar terms, where minnow swallows the whale for a king’s ransom, could happen again, or even be floated, right?—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
9 May 2026
-
As the ocean swallows her fishing village on Mexico’s Gulf Coast, one woman leads the effort to relocate her community while struggling to let go of the sea that shaped her life.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
6 May 2026
Verb
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Their gigantic bigotry drowns out their smaller accomplishments.—
Alan M. Dershowitz,
New York Daily News,
16 Apr. 2026
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But the staggering amount of money poured into this club by BlueCo over the past three years drowns out all attempts at mitigation and erases all excuses.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
After hundreds to thousands of years, the feeding black hole or neutron star falls into the stellar core and destroys it, creating a luminous emission.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
8 May 2026
-
Federal debt destroys wealth and impedes economic growth.—
Rose Evans
May 6,
Idaho Statesman,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Strangles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strangles. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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