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
Kristin Shaw, Popular Science, 14 Nov. 2024
He is accused of fatally choking 30-year-old Jordan Neely on a New York City subway in 2023.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Oct. 2024
In between watching the Yankees choke, the conversation turned to the election.
—Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for choke 
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show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
Armed with that information, off-roading is a lot less likely to be marred by choking, toxic smoke that comes along with dangerous levels of combustion if users know which areas to avoid.
—Kristin Shaw, Popular Science, 14 Nov. 2024
He is accused of fatally choking 30-year-old Jordan Neely on a New York City subway in 2023.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
Noun
Pereira will play a character called The Butcher, and bring his set of skills – including anaconda chokes and roundhouse kicks – to his meaty role.
—Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Oct. 2024
In between watching the Yankees choke, the conversation turned to the election.
—Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for choke
Dictionary Entries Near choke
Cite this Entry
“Choke.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/choke. Accessed 28 Nov. 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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