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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Recent Examples of throttle
But now, there’s a new referendum drive to legalize recreational pot, and once again, the invisible hand of Ron DeSantis is cheerlessly throttling the life out of direct democracy.
—
Pat Beall, Sun Sentinel, 23 Jan. 2026
In really hot places such as Texas and Arizona, cooling systems struggle, either using excessive water to cool or having to throttle the chips to stop them from overheating.
—Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
In fact, the only time New England has beaten the Broncos in the postseason was 2012 when the Patriots throttled Denver and Tim Tebow, 45-10, at Gillette Stadium.
—Matt Schooley, CBS News, 19 Jan. 2026
Because of the fledgling nature of America’s domestic drone industry, the ban is likely to throttle the overall availability of cheap, cutting-edge drones and spike prices for American hobbyists, consumers and businesses in the next few years.
—Jared Perlo, NBC news, 18 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for throttle
Pat Beall, Sun Sentinel, 23 Jan. 2026
In really hot places such as Texas and Arizona, cooling systems struggle, either using excessive water to cool or having to throttle the chips to stop them from overheating.
—Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
In fact, the only time New England has beaten the Broncos in the postseason was 2012 when the Patriots throttled Denver and Tim Tebow, 45-10, at Gillette Stadium.
—Matt Schooley, CBS News, 19 Jan. 2026
Because of the fledgling nature of America’s domestic drone industry, the ban is likely to throttle the overall availability of cheap, cutting-edge drones and spike prices for American hobbyists, consumers and businesses in the next few years.
—Jared Perlo, NBC news, 18 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for throttle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for throttle
Verb
-
Kenya choked under the dictatorship of Daniel arap Moi, who ruled from 1978 to 2002.—
Binaifer Nowrojee,
Time,
30 Jan. 2026
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Just weeks after heroically saving a neighbor’s choking 1-year-old girl, an NYPD officer was at it again, saving the life of a 2-year-old boy who had stopped breathing in his Bronx home.—
Barry Williams,
New York Daily News,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In 2021, Ratray was accused of attempting to strangle his girlfriend.—
Madeline Boardman,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Jan. 2026
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Necropsies performed on both dogs by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the University of Georgia concluded that they were strangled to death, investigators said, WSB-TV reports.—
KC Baker,
PEOPLE,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Throttle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/throttle. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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