Definition of throttlenext
as in to choke
to keep (someone) from breathing by exerting pressure on the windpipe I was so angry at what he was saying that I could have throttled him!

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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Recent Examples of throttle Don't let a dusty, outdated router throttle your life. Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 10 Mar. 2026 Iran is throttling the vital Strait of Hormuz and attacking oil facilities across the Middle East in a deadly retaliation campaign that is hitting global supplies of oil and gas. Alexander Smith, NBC news, 9 Mar. 2026 The regime had relied on its navy to throttle ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz — a crucial passageway for transporting about 20% of the world's oil and liquified natural gas. Joe Walsh, CBS News, 3 Mar. 2026 The result is a mechanically simpler engine that can be throttled and even shut down and restarted in flight, providing significantly greater flight flexibility. New Atlas, 25 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for throttle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for throttle
Verb
  • The artistic director, Massimiliano Gioni, has for years staged sprawling, mind-bending exhibitions inside a vault that choked them.
    Jerry Saltz, Curbed, 20 Mar. 2026
  • The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz during the Iran war has choked global oil supply.
    Victor Ordonez, ABC News, 20 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • 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, Arkansas Online, 13 Mar. 2026
  • Willacy reportedly struck Sather in the head several times with a blunt object, then bound her hands and ankles before attempting to strangle her with a telephone cord.
    News Service Of Florida, Sun Sentinel, 13 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Throttle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/throttle. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.

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