strangle
/ˈstræŋɡl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈstræŋɡl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈstraŋ-gəl/ (ame, mw)
strangle — verb
- stranglepresent simple I / you / we / they
- strangleshe / she / it
- strangledpast simple
- strangling-ing form
1. to cause the death of a person or animal by squeezing the neck tightly, usually
to cause the death of a person or animal by squeezing the neck tightly, usually with your hands, a rope, or a similar object, cutting off the supply of air to the lungs.
Forensic experts concluded that the victim had been strangled by hand, not with a rope.
be strangled + by / with — agent vs instrument
The documentary showed farmers in rural areas strangling large snakes to protect their livestock.
In self-defence class, Diego learned how to escape if an attacker tries to strangle him.
A folk tale tells of a spirit that strangles travellers in the forest at night.
- throttle
more specific — suggests pressing the throat with hands, often in a violent attack; less common in everyday English.
- choke
broader — can mean internal airway blockage (by food) or external pressure; less specific than 'strangle'.
- garrotte
more specific — killing by tightening a cord or wire around the neck; associated with espionage and assassination.
文法句型
strangle + noun phrase (person/animal)
be strangled + with/by + object
用法筆記
This sense is frequently used in the passive voice (be/get strangled) in crime reporting and police investigations. The instrument is introduced by 'with' (strangled with a rope) and the agent by 'by' (strangled by the killer).
常見錯誤
2. to prevent the growth, development, or success of something by severely limiting
to prevent the growth, development, or success of something by severely limiting the conditions it needs — for example, restricting funding, free expression, or room to expand until the activity nearly or completely dies out.
Bureaucratic red tape slowly strangled the proposed housing project over three years.
strangled + project (figurative — impeding progress)
Ananya believes that too much screen time can strangle a child's natural creativity.
Lack of investment strangled the technology start-up before it could launch its first product.
Harsh censorship laws strangled independent journalism in the country for decades.
- stifle
overlapping but slightly milder — suggests suppressing or holding back rather than completely killing off.
- smother
more vivid — suggests covering or overwhelming something so it cannot breathe or function.
- crush
broader — can be physical or figurative; implies forceful destruction rather than slow suffocation.
文法句型
strangle + abstract noun (growth/creativity/hope)
用法筆記
Subject is typically an impersonal force (regulations, bureaucracy, censorship, lack of funds) rather than a person. The object is always an abstract noun — a process, movement, or quality that needs room to grow.
常見錯誤
3. to stop breathing and die because something presses against your throat or block
to stop breathing and die because something presses against your throat or blocks your airway from outside — for example, getting tangled in a cord or having something heavy press on your neck.
The kitten nearly strangled when its head got stuck in a narrow plastic jar.
strangled intransitively — animal + trapped head
The mountaineer strangled on a safety rope after falling into a crevasse.
Ranch workers found a calf strangled to death between two fence posts.
Veterinarians say pet birds sometimes strangle on thin strings left near their cages.
文法句型
strangle + on + noun phrase
strangle + to death
用法筆記
This intransitive use is uncommon in everyday language; native speakers more often use the passive construction ('was strangled') or the verb 'choke' for blockages inside the throat. The intransitive 'strangle' typically describes accidents involving animals or outdoor equipment.