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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of strangling
According to the indictment, McCray is accused of strangling the victim.
—
Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 3 Feb. 2026
At his hearing Tuesday, Adams admitted strangling Murray himself.
—William Morris, Des Moines Register, 21 Jan. 2026
His criminal history included convictions for robbery, kidnapping and attempting to kill a corrections officer by strangling him.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 20 Jan. 2026
The serial killers, later revealed to be cousins Kenneth Bianchi and Angelo Buono, were accused of kidnapping, raping and strangling 10 women between October 1977 and February 1978.
—Kelsey Lentz, PEOPLE, 18 Jan. 2026
An upstate New York man already serving time for fatally strangling a 32‑year‑old mother of two has been sentenced to additional prison time after pleading guilty to killing his cellmate.
—Muri Assunção, New York Daily News, 15 Jan. 2026
Fujita was 20 in 2013 when he was found guilty of strangling and stabbing his former high school girlfriend to death in Wayland.
—Matt Schooley, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
This month, 11 alleged TdA members were indicted in New Mexico, accused of kidnapping, brutally interrogating and strangling to death a man in Albuquerque and burying his body in a remote desert grave, The Center Square reported.
—Center Square, The Washington Examiner, 5 Jan. 2026
Viverette is also accused of strangling his girlfriend and taking her dog earlier on Tuesday.
—Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 12 Dec. 2025
Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 3 Feb. 2026
At his hearing Tuesday, Adams admitted strangling Murray himself.
—William Morris, Des Moines Register, 21 Jan. 2026
His criminal history included convictions for robbery, kidnapping and attempting to kill a corrections officer by strangling him.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 20 Jan. 2026
The serial killers, later revealed to be cousins Kenneth Bianchi and Angelo Buono, were accused of kidnapping, raping and strangling 10 women between October 1977 and February 1978.
—Kelsey Lentz, PEOPLE, 18 Jan. 2026
An upstate New York man already serving time for fatally strangling a 32‑year‑old mother of two has been sentenced to additional prison time after pleading guilty to killing his cellmate.
—Muri Assunção, New York Daily News, 15 Jan. 2026
Fujita was 20 in 2013 when he was found guilty of strangling and stabbing his former high school girlfriend to death in Wayland.
—Matt Schooley, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
This month, 11 alleged TdA members were indicted in New Mexico, accused of kidnapping, brutally interrogating and strangling to death a man in Albuquerque and burying his body in a remote desert grave, The Center Square reported.
—Center Square, The Washington Examiner, 5 Jan. 2026
Viverette is also accused of strangling his girlfriend and taking her dog earlier on Tuesday.
—Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 12 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strangling
Verb
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The characteristics and size of the small starch clumps could constitute a choking hazard, said Mondelez Global, which owns the brand, particularly in young children and the elderly.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
6 Feb. 2026
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Check your cookie stash for Chips Ahoy products that could contain a choking hazard.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Seahawks defensive front was stifling, sacking Patriots second-year quarterback Drake Maye six times.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
-
The Wolverines’ school-record nine-game winning streak in Big Ten games was snapped by a big and experienced team that plays stifling defense and is led by a 6-foot-7 preseason All-America center who does it all.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is the number one cause of death in the United States for children ages one to four.—
Jobina Fortson-Evans,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2026
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The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office ruled their cause of death as drowning.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Florida is still showing a knack for suppressing shots but more high-danger chances are slipping past.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
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Food manufacturers like PepsiCo are also contending with the impact of appetite-suppressing weight-loss drugs, which are hurting demand for snacks.—
Megan Cerullo,
CBS News,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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And on Sunday before 70,823 at Levi’s Stadium, the unit showed the world there is room for more than one hard-hitting, suffocating defense in Seahawks history.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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The Seattle Seahawks have returned to the Super Bowl after 11 years, not with the boisterous noise of their prior iteration, but with a quiet, suffocating intensity that leaves the rest of football both intensely curious and stubbornly skeptical.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Artists are tired of swallowing scandals like this.—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
6 Feb. 2026
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These great-tasting liquids can be beneficial for children and adults who have difficulty swallowing tablets.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Seahawks never lost again, capping the season by smothering the New England Patriots in a 29-13 victory in Super Bowl 60 on Sunday night.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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Overall, Seattle is hardly ever in base defense, utilizing a smothering hybrid scheme, often employing extra DBs in a big nickel look.—
Hank Gola,
New York Daily News,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Strangling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strangling. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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