1
as in choking
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in throttling
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 stifling
to refrain from openly showing or uttering
strangled a gasp of surprise upon hearing the news
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 strangling
But these advances are also strangling the business of the dictionary.
—
Stefan Fatsis, The Atlantic, 13 Sep. 2025
After law enforcement left, the district attorney’s office said Sumpter attacked the woman, punching her in the face and strangling her.
—Daniella Segura, Sacbee.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Former Ohio State long snapper Michael Roen McCullough was arrested in Columbus early Friday morning after allegedly punching his girlfriend and strangling her during an argument, according to police records.
—Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Visualizing the ropes of the nets twisting around the necks of these animals, slowly strangling, choking, running out of oxygen.
—Suwanna Gauntlett Upjohn, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
More than 80 percent of the invasive plants strangling native ecosystems in Indiana originate from landscaping and horticulture introductions, according to the Hamilton County Invasives Partnership, which runs the trade-in program with the Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 20 Aug. 2025
La Jolla Shores residents want this street to be open with cafe dining, and therefore an end to the merchants’ giant delivery trucks strangling traffic and endangering pedestrians.
—Letters To The Editor, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Aug. 2025
At the time of his conviction, Jones was serving a 30-year prison sentence for assaulting and strangling another woman in 2001, according to the Journal Sentinel.
—Everett Eaton, jsonline.com, 9 Aug. 2025
Cartwright, 61, was found guilty last week of raping and fatally strangling Samantha Mickleburgh, his 54-year-old ex-fiance, in April 2024.
—Sean Neumann, People.com, 8 Aug. 2025
Stefan Fatsis, The Atlantic, 13 Sep. 2025
After law enforcement left, the district attorney’s office said Sumpter attacked the woman, punching her in the face and strangling her.
—Daniella Segura, Sacbee.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Former Ohio State long snapper Michael Roen McCullough was arrested in Columbus early Friday morning after allegedly punching his girlfriend and strangling her during an argument, according to police records.
—Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Visualizing the ropes of the nets twisting around the necks of these animals, slowly strangling, choking, running out of oxygen.
—Suwanna Gauntlett Upjohn, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
More than 80 percent of the invasive plants strangling native ecosystems in Indiana originate from landscaping and horticulture introductions, according to the Hamilton County Invasives Partnership, which runs the trade-in program with the Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 20 Aug. 2025
La Jolla Shores residents want this street to be open with cafe dining, and therefore an end to the merchants’ giant delivery trucks strangling traffic and endangering pedestrians.
—Letters To The Editor, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Aug. 2025
At the time of his conviction, Jones was serving a 30-year prison sentence for assaulting and strangling another woman in 2001, according to the Journal Sentinel.
—Everett Eaton, jsonline.com, 9 Aug. 2025
Cartwright, 61, was found guilty last week of raping and fatally strangling Samantha Mickleburgh, his 54-year-old ex-fiance, in April 2024.
—Sean Neumann, People.com, 8 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strangling
Verb
-
Baltimore led Buffalo by 15 points with four minutes to go Sunday night before choking away a 41-40 loss in what became an instant classic.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Infant accessories dug-up from the previous owner’s storage at the estate sale might still contain lead paint or choking hazards, and Ziomek advises to beware especially of any accessories involving sleeping, when babies are particularly vulnerable.—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Lately, however, that search for control has become overly cautious, stifling attacking adventure.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
11 Sep. 2025
-
After enduring a stifling sea of sameness in the basic design of the iPhone since the iPhone X, Apple’s new line of iPhone 17s finally brings a very diverse and distinctive breadth of offerings to people looking for an iPhone.—
Bob O’Donnell,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The site has been weaponized to magnify climate denial and vaccine denial messaging, while drowning out actual authoritative scientific sources and voices.—
Michael E. Mann,
Time,
17 Sep. 2025
-
In 2025, sales teams are drowning in data but starving for actionable insights.—
Rohit Shrivastava,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
By solving MXene’s stability problem and suppressing chloride corrosion, the research delivers a material that balances conductivity, durability, and performance.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Sep. 2025
-
The focus of the nearly year-long legal battle has been 23XI and Front Row accusing NASCAR and CEO Jim France of suppressing the competition, and NASCAR countersued in March.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
With only 31 goals in 29 games, Austin has struggled to score, especially without injured forward Brandon Vazquez, and Minnesota’s success is built on a suffocating defense.—
Andy Greder,
Twin Cities,
17 Sep. 2025
-
Melissa Towne is accused of cutting her daughter Nichole Bradshaw-Towne's throat before suffocating her with a trash bag at a park in Harris County, Texas, in October 2022, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said at the time.—
Samira Asma-Sadeque,
PEOPLE,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Vision may be impacted and the sufferer will demonstrate symptoms of dementia before, ultimately, losing the ability to perform basic functions like eating, swallowing and breathing.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
-
The epiglottis blocks the trachea during swallowing.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
An offseason of change came to fruition under the lights at Bank of America Stadium on Friday night, with first-year head coach Dowell Loggains’ Appalachian State Mountaineers smothering the Charlotte 49ers from start to finish, grabbing a 34-11 season-opening victory.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Aug. 2025
-
Naomi is a textbook Jewish mother, nagging and cajoling and smothering her children with logorrheic abandon.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
22 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Strangling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strangling. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share