choke out

phrasal verb

choked out; choking out; chokes out
: to say (something) with difficulty because of strong emotion
She tearfully choked out an apology.
He just managed to choke a reply out.

Examples of choke out in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Following a shocking attack by Gunther on WWE Raw where commentator Pat McAfee was choked out while defending his broadcast partner Michael Cole, WWE granted McAfee time on the April 28th episode to address the incident. Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Apr. 2025 Neely, who had health issues including schizophrenia and sickle cell trait and was a chronic abuser of synthetic marijuana, died due to exertion from the struggle and not because he'd been choked out, defense lawyers Thomas Kenniff and Steven Raiser argued. Michael Ruiz, Fox News, 22 Nov. 2024 Robust grass plants choke out thistles by shading the plant’s spiny foliage above ground and limiting rooting space underground. Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 June 2025 Our state is using the same playbook the current U.S. administration is using to choke out public and social services. Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 May 2025 An extensive root system leads to dense, healthy growth take will choke out thistles. Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 June 2025 That tight spacing chokes out oxygen flow, which is needed for efficient burning. Jonathan Lambert, NPR, 18 May 2025 There are hundreds of perennial and low-growing shrub groundcover plants, including short ornamental grasses that provide thick, dense cover, control erosion, and choke out weeds while enhancing the overall landscape. Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 May 2025 What might have started as an exotic groundcover can quickly metastasize into an aggressive intruder, spreading fast and choking out native flora that local wildlife like birds, pollinators, and small mammals rely on. Michelle Mastro, Architectural Digest, 6 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Choke out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/choke%20out. Accessed 17 Jul. 2025.

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