Strangle: meaning, definitions and examples

Refers to causing someone to die due to sustained pressure on the neck, cutting off the airway. It can also mean constriction, whether literal or metaphorical.

• Historical records indicate the victim was strangled with a rope
• The strict policies are strangling the creativity of employees

Can be used when someone has something blocking their throat or when they are being strangled. Also often used figuratively for anxiety or failing under pressure.

• He started to choke on a piece of food
• She felt like she was going to choke during her presentation

Means to die or cause someone to die from lack of air. Often used to describe situations with limited airflow and can extend to emotional or situational pressures.

• She suffocated under the collapsed building
• He felt suffocated by his overprotective parents

Usually refers to a method of execution or assassination involving a wire or cord to strangle someone. Has a harsh, criminal connotation.

• The spy was garroted by an enemy agent

Used typically in violent or extreme situations where someone is being choked or forcibly stopped from breathing. It can also be metaphorically used to describe something being harshly stopped or hindered.

• He tried to strangle him in a fit of rage.
• The government policies have strangled the growth of small businesses.

Used in situations where there is an action to forcefully put an end to something, often used in contexts like emotions, actions, or even information. It often has a negative connotation.

• The dictator suppressed any form of dissent.
• He tried to suppress his anger during the argument.

Used when referring to suppressing or suffocating something, often relating to emotions, creativity, or expression. It suggests a feeling of being smothered or held back.

• The oppressive atmosphere in the office stifled his creativity.
• She had to stifle a laugh during the serious meeting.

Used to describe situations where limitations or restrictions are placed, whether physical, emotional, or metaphorical. It is often used in a more formal or objective context.

• The budget constraints limited their ability to undertake new projects.
• She felt constrained by the traditional gender roles.