STRANGLING Synonyms: 50 Similar and Opposite Words

strangling

verb

present participle of strangle

as in choking

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in throttling

to keep (someone) from breathing by exerting pressure on the windpipe the boy complained that he was being strangled by his tie

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in stifling

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

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 strangling After strangling the children in the basement of her home with exercise bands, Clancy attempted to kill herself by jumping out of the window of her Duxbury home, leaving her paralyzed. — Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 3 Aug. 2026 Prosecutors allege that Lindsay methodically planned the murders by sending her husband to pick up medication and takeout, and then strangling the children with exercise bands at their Duxbury, Massachusetts, home. — Melina Khan, USA Today, 30 July 2026 After strangling her children, Lindsay Clancy cut her wrists and throat and jumped from that window, testimony on Monday showed. — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 29 July 2026 According to the document, Monasterio began hitting the dog without provocation, then struck the victim with a closed fist, and again grabbed her by the neck with both hands, strangling her and impeding her breathing for a second time. — Ana Maria Soler, CBS News, 29 July 2026 Prosecutors accused the Massachusetts mother of strangling her three children — Cora, five, Dawson, three, and eight-month-old Callan — to death at their home in a Boston suburb in 2023. — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 28 July 2026 Another woman also accuses Tristan Tate, 38, of strangling her unconscious and then raping her, according to the filings. — Patrick Reevell, ABC News, 22 July 2026 Prosecutors plan to argue that Lindsay carefully planned and plotted her actions by sending her husband out of the house before strangling her three children. — Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 13 July 2026 In December 2023, Sarah Steele accused Jacob Wulfson, a US air force captain also based at Lakenheath, of drugging, assaulting and strangling her after meeting via a dating app. — Will Barker, TheWeek, 8 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for strangling

Verb

Hazardous smoke spread across both the United States and Canada, choking large cities such as New York.

— ABC News, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026
The friends told investigators that Nunnally grew angry and jealous multiple times that night, at one point choking Evans against the wall until the two friends pulled him off her.

— Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of choking

Verb

This prompted backlash from critics, who felt that the platforms were stifling free speech or putting their thumb on the scale politically.

— Max Tani, semafor.com, 3 Aug. 2026
The recurring power outages combined with the stifling heat have created collective insomnia on the island as residents struggle to get through the night.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of stifling

Verb

When the siblings finally arrive, the bitter, suffocating reality that awaits them proves far harsher than Lucila had imagined.

— Leo Barraclough, Variety, 3 Aug. 2026
The 30-year-old construction worker ended up curling up with other Cubans on the city's sea wall, the Malecón, in a desperate attempt to escape the suffocating summer heat during yet another islandwide blackout.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of suffocating

Verb

If there is swelling spreading well beyond the bite, a rash breaking out elsewhere on your body, or any trouble breathing or swallowing, treat that as an emergency and get medical help right away.

— Maggie O'Neill, Verywell Health, 29 July 2026
Depending on how much toxin was consumed, symptoms may start within a few hours and may include trouble swallowing, speaking and breathing, nausea and blurred vision.

— Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 25 July 2026

Definition of swallowing

Verb

Rodri, Spain’s captain and the anchor of the team’s smothering defense during its unbeaten World Cup run, won the Golden Ball award as the outstanding player of the tournament.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026
Argentina battled Spain’s smothering defense, but Messi was limited to just 15 touches during the first half, according to ESPN.

— Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 20 July 2026

Definition of smothering

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strangles

strangling

strap

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“Strangling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strangling. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of strangling

verb

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