Choke - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

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SKIP TO CONTENT choke /tʃoʊk/ /tʃəʊk/ IPA guide

Other forms: choked; choking; chokes

When you choke, you are suddenly unable to breathe, often because something is stuck in your throat. Your dad's rude joke might make you gasp and choke on your grilled cheese sandwich.

You might choke in a smoky room, or choke on a grape that's lodged halfway down your throat. In either case, your body can't get enough oxygen. People also choke up with emotion, figuratively choking on their sobs. Likewise, a child might complain, "This scarf chokes me!" — it's uncomfortably tight, but he's not literally unable to breathe. When the weeds in your garden outnumber the vegetables, you can also say they choke, or crowd, your plants.

Definitions of choke

verb struggle for breath; have insufficient oxygen intake synonyms: gag, strangle, suffocate see moresee less type of: hurt, suffer feel pain or be in pain
verb impair the respiration of or obstruct the air passage of synonyms: asphyxiate, stifle, suffocate see moresee less type of: block, close up, impede, jam, obstruct, obturate, occlude block passage through
verb wring the neck of “The man choked his opponent” synonyms: scrag see moresee less type of: compact, compress, constrict, contract, press, squeeze squeeze or press together
verb constrict (someone's) throat and keep from breathing synonyms: strangle see moresee less type of: compact, compress, constrict, contract, press, squeeze squeeze or press together
verb cause to retch or choke synonyms: gag see moresee less type of: sicken make sick or ill
verb become or cause to become obstructed synonyms: back up, choke off, clog, clog up, congest, foul see moresee less types: show 4 types... hide 4 types... gum up stick together as if with gum crap up become obstructed or chocked up block, choke up, lug, stuff obstruct silt, silt up become chocked with silt type of: block, close up, impede, jam, obstruct, obturate, occlude block passage through
verb become stultified, suppressed, or stifled synonyms: suffocate suffocate suppress the development, creativity, or imagination of see moresee less type of: become, turn undergo a change or development
verb pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life synonyms: buy the farm, cash in one's chips, conk, croak, decease, die, drop dead, exit, expire, give-up the ghost, go, kick the bucket, pass, pass away, perish, pop off, snuff it break, break down, conk out, die, fail, give out, give way, go, go bad stop operating or functioning die suffer or face the pain of death see moresee less types: show 9 types... hide 9 types... abort cease development, die, and be aborted asphyxiate, stifle, suffocate be asphyxiated; die from lack of oxygen buy it, pip out be killed or die; drown die from being submerged in water, getting water into the lungs, and asphyxiating predecease die before; die earlier than famish, starve die of food deprivation fall die, as in battle or in a hunt succumb, yield be fatally overwhelmed strangle die from strangulation type of: change state, turn undergo a transformation or a change of position or action
verb breathe with great difficulty, as when experiencing a strong emotion “She choked with emotion when she spoke about her deceased husband” see moresee less type of: breathe, respire, suspire, take a breath draw air into, and expel out of, the lungs
verb be too tight; rub or press “This neckband is choking the cat” synonyms: fret, gag see moresee less type of: compact, compress, constrict, contract, press, squeeze squeeze or press together
verb fail to perform adequately due to tension or agitation “The team should have won hands down but choked, disappointing the coach and the audience” see moresee less type of: fail, neglect fail to do something; leave something undone
verb check or slow down the action or effect of “She choked her anger” see moresee less type of: bottle up, inhibit, suppress control and refrain from showing; of emotions, desires, impulses, or behavior
verb suppress the development, creativity, or imagination of synonyms: suffocate suffocate become stultified, suppressed, or stifled see moresee less type of: dampen, stifle smother or suppress
noun a valve that controls the flow of air into the carburetor of a gasoline engine see moresee less types: automatic choke a choke that automatically controls the flow of air to the carburetor type of: valve control consisting of a mechanical device for controlling the flow of a fluid
verb reduce the air supply “choke a carburetor” synonyms: throttle see moresee less type of: enrich make better or improve in quality
noun a coil of low resistance and high inductance used in electrical circuits to pass direct current and attenuate alternating current synonyms: choke coil, choking coil see moresee less type of: coil reactor consisting of a spiral of insulated wire that introduces inductance into a circuit

Pronunciation US /tʃoʊk/ UK /tʃəʊk/ Cite this entry Style: MLA

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Copy citation DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘choke'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback Word Family

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