1
as in to choke
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
3
as in to stifle
to refrain from openly showing or uttering
strangled a gasp of surprise upon hearing the news
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of strangle
Just as with Weaver, Vesey was bound with electrical cords before she was raped and strangled, the papers state.
—
Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 15 May 2026
Luis Benitez-Gonzalez, a 26-year-old previously deported Mexican national, is accused of strangling two women in the area of Austin, Texas, in 2018 and 2024.
—Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
Amar, who is nine years old, has been hit and bullied at school; once, a classmate strangled him.
—Annie Hylton, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
Or there’s the case of the Florida woman accused of strangling and robbing her own friend for money to buy drugs.
—Nate Anderson, ArsTechnica, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for strangle
Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 15 May 2026
Luis Benitez-Gonzalez, a 26-year-old previously deported Mexican national, is accused of strangling two women in the area of Austin, Texas, in 2018 and 2024.
—Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
Amar, who is nine years old, has been hit and bullied at school; once, a classmate strangled him.
—Annie Hylton, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
Or there’s the case of the Florida woman accused of strangling and robbing her own friend for money to buy drugs.
—Nate Anderson, ArsTechnica, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for strangle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strangle
Verb
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Hilton has raised crucial issues about Newsom’s overspending, low state K-12 test scores, high taxes choking the middle class, high gas prices and the endemic housing and homelessness crises.—
John Seiler,
Oc Register,
29 May 2026
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As discomforting as that sounds, there is no proof the 7-foot, 9-inch dolphin choked to death, according to Lauren Rust, executive director of the Lowcountry Marine Mammal Network and South Carolina Marine Mammal Stranding Coordinator.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
29 May 2026
Verb
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Everyone was very, very, very religious, but specifically Christianity and Catholicism, which in my opinion are very stifling religions that are very God-fearing.—
Louis Staples,
Glamour,
27 May 2026
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Since the party rose to power in 2014, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the helm, critics have accused it of stifling civil liberties and the press, pursuing a Hindu-first agenda, and inflaming religious divisions within India’s secular democracy.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
22 May 2026
Verb
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That—and the high temperatures—led to low oxygen levels in the water, suffocating and killing fish across a 20-mile stretch.—
Monique John,
CBS News,
26 May 2026
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Needless to say, regulations are suffocating, as are obstacles to getting anything done commercially.—
Steve Forbes,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Verb
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Kyle Schwarber stands as a stunning exception to the San Diego ballpark’s home-run suppressing history.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 May 2026
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Like seawater, ice exerts pressure on the Earth’s crust, suppressing volcanic activity.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
26 May 2026
Verb
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But needy, possessive Nikki smothers Bear, and what plays out is a horrifying tale of obsessive love gone wrong — sour, curdled and violent.—
Katie Walsh,
Twin Cities,
23 May 2026
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The Tigers’ defense was also smothering all game.—
Erik Anderson,
Boston Herald,
18 May 2026
Verb
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But that promise was swallowed by ambition.—
Matthew Scogin,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2026
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Sinkhole at LaGuardia swallows plans One of only two runways at New York’s bustling LaGuardia Airport remains closed as fallout from Wednesday’s discovery of a sinkhole on the pavement spills into the weekend.—
Holly Yan,
CNN Money,
22 May 2026
Verb
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Sources claim Fergie’s been coping by drowning her sorrows in retail therapy, which could push her even further into debt.—
Allison DeGrushe,
StyleCaster,
24 May 2026
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King Supa Dixon drowned after wandering away from his nearby home on Tuesday afternoon, after returning from school.—
Ana Maria Soler,
CBS News,
24 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Strangle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strangle. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
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