choked; choking
1
: to check or block normal breathing of by compressing or obstructing the trachea or by poisoning or adulterating available air
The unwary guard was choked to death by a prisoner.
2
a
: to check or hinder the growth, development, or activity of
The flowers were choked by the weeds.
b
: to obstruct by filling up or clogging
Leaves choked the drain.
c
: to fill completely : jam
roads choked with traffic
3
: to enrich the fuel mixture of (a motor) by partially shutting off the air intake of the carburetor
4
: to grip (something, such as a baseball bat) some distance from the end of the handle
—usually used with up
The batter choked up the bat and cut down his swing.
1
: to become choked in breathing
He choked on a bone.
2
a
: to become obstructed or checked
b
: to become or feel constricted (see constrict sense 1) in the throat (as from strong emotion)
—usually used with up
choked up and couldn't finish the speech
3
: to shorten one's grip especially on the handle of a bat
—usually used with up
4
: to lose one's composure and fail to perform effectively in a critical situation
had a chance to win the game but he choked
1
[by folk etymology from artichoke]
: the filamentous inedible center of an artichoke flower head
broadly
: an artichoke flower head
2
: something that obstructs passage or flow: such as
a
: a valve for choking (see choke entry 1 sense 3) a gasoline engine
b
: a constriction in an outlet (as of an oil well) that restricts flow
c
d
: a constriction (such as a narrowing of the barrel or an attachment) at the muzzle (see muzzle entry 1 sense 3) of a shotgun that serves to limit the spread of shot
3
: the act of choking
A few chokes dislodged the food in her throat.
Examples of choke in a Sentence
Verb
Chew your food well so you don't choke.
We were choking on fumes.
The thick smoke was choking me.
The flowers were choked by the weeds.
Recent Examples on the Web
Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2024
She had been persistently injured, hit, choked by a husband who liked hurting her.
—Seyward Darby, Longreads, 12 Apr. 2024
Hamilton performed the Heimlich maneuver on the student, identified by Spectrum News 13 as John Mullen, who choked on a Chomps Beef Stick.
—David Chiu, Peoplemag, 12 Apr. 2024
During the confrontation, Pitt also allegedly choked one of the children and struck another in the face, reports said.
—Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2024
His voice was choked when the first words found their way out.
—James Hartley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Mar. 2024
Further, Iran could choke traffic to the nearby Strait of Hormuz, which could severely crimp global trade.
—Melvin Backman, Quartz, 2 Apr. 2024
Opt for toys without small pieces, loose magnets, and button batteries, as those all pose a choking hazard or can cause life-threatening injuries if ingested.
—Maya Polton, Parents, 29 Mar. 2024
Her son is completely dependent on staff to keep him alive: to feed him, clean him after bowel movements, change his catheter and prevent him from choking.
—ProPublica, 28 Mar. 2024
Kris Holt, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2024
Additional changes in the third area allow attackers to push through certain chokes more easily.
—Kris Holt, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2024
Pull the lever if your carburetor doesn't have an automatic choke.
—Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 17 Jan. 2024
Shanahan joined Falcons fans in blaming the offensive coordinator for the greatest choke in Super Bowl history.
—Terence Moore, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024
But the Niners more than facilitated the Honolulu Blue choke job.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 29 Jan. 2024
Danny is famous for its slaps, chokes, and tirades, but underneath the brassy, broken Bronxiness, the play has the smushable underbelly of a baby pit bull.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2023
The ensuing choke job brought new meaning to one of Curry’s more memorable celebrations.
—Connor Letourneau, San Francisco Chronicle, 2 Dec. 2023
For a choke, go no tighter than Modified and err on the side of a wider choke—Improved being the ideal constriction.
—Matthew Every, Field & Stream, 18 Oct. 2023
Verb
Maddi did, however, tell her father David and stepmother Cathy about the choking incident.
—Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2024
She had been persistently injured, hit, choked by a husband who liked hurting her.
—Seyward Darby, Longreads, 12 Apr. 2024
Hamilton performed the Heimlich maneuver on the student, identified by Spectrum News 13 as John Mullen, who choked on a Chomps Beef Stick.
—David Chiu, Peoplemag, 12 Apr. 2024
During the confrontation, Pitt also allegedly choked one of the children and struck another in the face, reports said.
—Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2024
His voice was choked when the first words found their way out.
—James Hartley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Mar. 2024
Further, Iran could choke traffic to the nearby Strait of Hormuz, which could severely crimp global trade.
—Melvin Backman, Quartz, 2 Apr. 2024
Opt for toys without small pieces, loose magnets, and button batteries, as those all pose a choking hazard or can cause life-threatening injuries if ingested.
—Maya Polton, Parents, 29 Mar. 2024
Her son is completely dependent on staff to keep him alive: to feed him, clean him after bowel movements, change his catheter and prevent him from choking.
—ProPublica, 28 Mar. 2024
Noun
Added a water tower near the first point to block sightlines from upper choke positions.
—Kris Holt, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2024
Additional changes in the third area allow attackers to push through certain chokes more easily.
—Kris Holt, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2024
Pull the lever if your carburetor doesn't have an automatic choke.
—Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 17 Jan. 2024
Shanahan joined Falcons fans in blaming the offensive coordinator for the greatest choke in Super Bowl history.
—Terence Moore, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024
But the Niners more than facilitated the Honolulu Blue choke job.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 29 Jan. 2024
Danny is famous for its slaps, chokes, and tirades, but underneath the brassy, broken Bronxiness, the play has the smushable underbelly of a baby pit bull.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2023
The ensuing choke job brought new meaning to one of Curry’s more memorable celebrations.
—Connor Letourneau, San Francisco Chronicle, 2 Dec. 2023
For a choke, go no tighter than Modified and err on the side of a wider choke—Improved being the ideal constriction.
—Matthew Every, Field & Stream, 18 Oct. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'choke.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near choke
Cite this Entry
“Choke.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/choke. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
choke
1 of 2 verb
choked; choking
1
: to keep from breathing in a normal way by cutting off the supply of air
choked by smoke
2
: to have the windpipe blocked entirely or partly
choke on a bone
3
: to slow or prevent the growth or action of
choke back tears
4
: to block by clogging
leaves choked the drain
5
: to decrease or shut off the air intake of a carburetor to make the fuel mixture richer
6
: to grip (as a baseball bat) some distance from the end of the handle
—usually used with up
choke
2 of 2 noun1
: the act of choking
2
: a portion of a shotgun bore that narrows toward the muzzle
also
: a device attached to the muzzle that narrows the bore
3
: a device for choking a gasoline engine
Medical Definition
choke
1 of 2 verb
choked; choking
: to keep from breathing in a normal way by compressing or obstructing the trachea or by poisoning or adulterating available air
: to have the trachea blocked entirely or partly
choke
2 of 2 noun1
: the act of choking
2
chokes plural
: pulmonary manifestations of decompression sickness including shortness of breath, chest pain, and cough
—used with the
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