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
But in late February of this year, he was arrested for allegedly strangling his fiancée, and got charged with a felony and a misdemeanor.
—
Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 3 Apr. 2026
Duckett was convicted and sentenced to death row in June 1988 for raping, strangling and drowning Teresa McAbee.
—Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2026
In early January 2025, police were called to the Aliquippa VFW when Ours was accused of repeatedly punching and strangling another man, later identified as Preston Coleman.
—Mike Darnay, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
Jorge Landeros, 56, was sentenced to 25 years in prison more than a decade after reportedly fatally beating and strangling a 52-year-old American University accounting professor in her Maryland home.
—Arkansas Online, 13 Mar. 2026
In 2013, Ricks killed his girlfriend and her 8-year-old son in a Bedford apartment to eliminate them as witnesses in a then-pending assault case in which he was accused of strangling her.
—Emerson Clarridge
updated March 12, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Mar. 2026
He’s charged with strangling his former chef in December.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 5 Mar. 2026
Becky is dehydrated and delirious, but manages to nourish herself after strangling and eating a vulture that attacked her on the platform.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Feb. 2026
With a three-decade record of violent crime that includes strangling a pregnant woman and firing a shotgun under a person's chin, McKay was scheduled to stand trial next month on methamphetamine trafficking charges that could have locked him up for 25 years.
—ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026
Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 3 Apr. 2026
Duckett was convicted and sentenced to death row in June 1988 for raping, strangling and drowning Teresa McAbee.
—Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2026
In early January 2025, police were called to the Aliquippa VFW when Ours was accused of repeatedly punching and strangling another man, later identified as Preston Coleman.
—Mike Darnay, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
Jorge Landeros, 56, was sentenced to 25 years in prison more than a decade after reportedly fatally beating and strangling a 52-year-old American University accounting professor in her Maryland home.
—Arkansas Online, 13 Mar. 2026
In 2013, Ricks killed his girlfriend and her 8-year-old son in a Bedford apartment to eliminate them as witnesses in a then-pending assault case in which he was accused of strangling her.
—Emerson Clarridge
updated March 12, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Mar. 2026
He’s charged with strangling his former chef in December.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 5 Mar. 2026
Becky is dehydrated and delirious, but manages to nourish herself after strangling and eating a vulture that attacked her on the platform.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Feb. 2026
With a three-decade record of violent crime that includes strangling a pregnant woman and firing a shotgun under a person's chin, McKay was scheduled to stand trial next month on methamphetamine trafficking charges that could have locked him up for 25 years.
—ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strangling
Verb
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The pair have been in physical altercations in the past, including Manning's 2012 arrest for allegedly punching, scratching, kicking and choking Hartman – whom media outlets have referred to as Manning's former make-up artist and assistant – and slamming her head against the floor and wall.—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
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The man alerted jail deputies that his cellmate, 35-year-old Vincent Chacon, was choking and needed help in the early morning of June 30, according to a probable cause affidavit.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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There are those, however, who do not see regulation as a stifling force.—
Francesca Cassidy,
Fortune,
31 Mar. 2026
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From there, the house unfolds via a traditional footprint that somehow feels soft and inviting instead of stifling.—
Miriam Schwartz,
Hartford Courant,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The autopsy points to drowning.—
Peter D'Abrosca , Solly Boussidan,
FOXNews.com,
1 Apr. 2026
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Rachel spent the entire series drowning in paranoia and dread, and now the worst has already happened.—
Hanna Wickes,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In this study, scientists determined that combining FAK-inhibiting drugs with immunotherapy and chemotherapy yielded the best results in mice in suppressing tumor growth, attracting tumor-fighting immune cells and extending survival.—
Noah Lyons,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
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Eggs Protein is more satiating than fat or carbohydrates, and your body absorbs protein from eggs particularly well, stimulating PYY and GLP-1, while suppressing ghrelin.—
Lauren Panoff,
Verywell Health,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Wave have been suffocating teams defensively, and that continued on Saturday night, with Chicago not recording a shot until the 70th minute.—
Fernando Ramirez,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
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Today, two small new volcanoes are growing out of its bay, and another one called Kolumbo — capable of producing fearsome tsunamis and clouds of suffocating gases — lurks underwater just offshore.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Speech-language pathologists work with people who have disorders involving speech, language and swallowing, sometimes from injuries, medical conditions or developmental delays.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
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When a pet bites into the plant, those crystals embed in mouth tissue, which explains why oral irritation and swallowing difficulty are the primary symptoms.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Bagging clippings prevents smothering from long grass and offers mulch or compost material.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 Apr. 2026
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But UConn’s smothering defense forced five turnovers against the junior guard and limited the rest of her team to just 30 points.—
Emily Adams,
Hartford Courant,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Strangling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strangling. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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