1. Compress or constrict the throat or windpipe cutting off air for breathing, potentially causing death
   "A man in Boston has been strangling several dozen prostitutes";
   - strangulate, throttle, choke
    
2. Struggle for breath; have insufficient oxygen intake
   ""He was strangling on the toxic fumes";
   - gag, choke, suffocate
    
3. Restrict, constrain, or suppress the movement, growth, or activity of
   "High interest rates strangled economic growth";
   - hamper, cramp, throttle
    
4. Suppress in order to conceal or hide
   "strangle a laugh";
   - smother, stifle, muffle, repress
    
5. Die from strangulation
   "The victim strangled when the scarf caught in the machinery"

Derived forms: strangled, strangling, strangles

Type of: ache, asphyxiate, bottle up, bound, compact, compress, confine, constrict, contract, hurt, inhibit, kill, limit, press, restrict, squeeze, stifle, suffer, suffocate, suppress, throttle, trammel

Encyclopedia: Strangle