# strangle

**Pronunciation:** /ˈstræŋ.ɡəl/ · STRANG-gul

**CEFR level:** B2

**Part of speech:** verb

## Meaning

To kill someone by squeezing their neck very tightly, or to injure or kill an animal in this way.

## Examples

- He was accused of attempting to strangle his wife.
- The snake strangled its prey before eating it.
- She felt like she was being strangled by the tight collar.

## Synonyms

- choke — To stop breathing due to obstruction or pressure in the throat; can be intentional or accidental.
- suffocate — To die or lose consciousness because of the absence of air or inability to breathe; can also be used figuratively.
- throttle — To strangle someone by their throat; often implies a forceful, deliberate action, especially with hands.
- garrote — To kill by strangling with a cord or wire, often a specific method of execution or assassination.

## Antonyms

- save — To rescue someone from a dangerous or life-threatening situation.
- release — To let someone go free from a place or situation where they were confined or held.
- liberate — To set someone free from a situation of oppression or captivity.

## Common patterns

- strangle with — To use an object to squeeze someone's neck. — He was strangled with a rope.
- strangle a laugh/sob/cry — To try to stop yourself from laughing, crying, or making a sound. — She tried to strangle a laugh during the serious meeting.
- stranglehold on — Complete control over something or someone. — The dictator maintained a stranglehold on the country for decades.

## Collocations

- strangle someone with — The attacker tried to strangle the victim with a scarf.
- stranglehold on — The company has a stranglehold on the local market.

Canonical URL: https://anaversity.com/dictionary/english/strangled

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