choke

verb
UK: /tʃəʊk/
US: /tʃoʊk/

  1. To stop breathing because something is blocking your throat

    1. He started to choke on a piece of bread, so I patted his back. [ ] [ ]
    2. The smoke from the fire was so thick, it made me choke and cough violently. [ ] [ ]

  2. To fail at something because of nerves or anxiety

    1. I always choke during important presentations, my mind goes blank. [ ] [ ]
    2. She choked under pressure and missed the final penalty shot of the game. [ ] [ ]

  3. To restrict the growth or development of something

    1. Weeds can choke the life out of garden plants, if you don't remove it. [ ] [ ]
    2. Bureaucracy can choke innovation and progress within an organization. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

throttle suffocate gag stifle strangle
choke noun

  1. A sudden blocking of the throat that stops you from breathing

    1. He gave a little choke when he saw the bill. [ ] [ ]
    2. The sudden choke in her voice revealed her hidden emotion. [ ] [ ]

  2. A valve in a carburetor that reduces the amount of air entering the engine.

    1. The choke helps start a cold engine easily. [ ] [ ]
    2. Adjust the choke to optimize fuel mixture during cold starts. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "choke" in English means: To stop breathing because something is blocking your throat, To fail at something because of nerves or anxiety, To restrict the growth or development of something.

The phonetic transcription of "choke" is /tʃəʊk/ in British English and /tʃoʊk/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "choke": throttle, suffocate, gag, stifle, strangle.

Example usage of "choke": "He started to choke on a piece of bread, so I patted his back.". More examples on the page.