stranglehold

noun

stran·​gle·​hold ˈstraŋ-gəl-ˌhōld How to pronounce stranglehold (audio)
1
: an illegal wrestling hold by which one's opponent is choked
2
: a force or influence that chokes or suppresses freedom of movement or expression

Examples of stranglehold in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web An earth-shattering, multibillion-dollar antitrust ruling against the National Association of Realtors late last year led to a settlement on Friday that will loosen the powerful trade group’s stranglehold on America’s housing market. David Goldman, CNN, 18 Mar. 2024 Eager to limit China's stranglehold over the solar market, countries have been searching for a different way to harness the sun. Devika Rao, theweek, 30 Jan. 2024 Sacred Heart Academy kept its stranglehold on the top spot in this week’s Kentucky High School Girls Basketball Media Poll. The Courier-Journal, 10 Jan. 2024 India Next door in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalists are likely to deepen their stranglehold on power in national elections, expected to be held in April and May, through its dominance in north and central India. Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 3 Jan. 2024 Ruthless gangs have a stranglehold on the city, preying on the population, carving neighborhoods into warring criminal fiefdoms, and cutting Haiti’s international port off from the rest of the country. Caitlin Stephen Hu, CNN, 4 Mar. 2024 The project, backed by both the United States and the European Union but blocked by the ethnic feuds that have long hobbled Bosnia, aims to break Moscow’s stranglehold on gas supplies to a fragile nation tugged between East and West. Andrew Higgins, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2024 The probe was sparked by a complaint in 2019 from Sweden’s Spotify Technology SA, which claimed it was forced to ramp up its monthly subscription price to cover costs associated with Apple’s alleged stranglehold on how the App Store operates. Aisha S Gani, Fortune, 18 Feb. 2024 But the two parties have tightened their stranglehold on the electoral process to the point where a third-party or independent bid is nearly impossible. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Baltimore Sun, 14 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stranglehold.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1893, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stranglehold was in 1893

Dictionary Entries Near stranglehold

Cite this Entry

“Stranglehold.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stranglehold. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

stranglehold

noun
stran·​gle·​hold ˈstraŋ-gəl-ˌhōld How to pronounce stranglehold (audio)
1
: an illegal wrestling hold by which one's opponent is choked
2
: a force or influence that chokes or blocks freedom of development or expression

More from Merriam-Webster on stranglehold

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