MEANING
1. To squeeze or constrict the neck so breathing or blood flow is impeded, potentially causing death.
2. To prevent growth, movement, or expression through severe restriction.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- strangle a victim
- strangle with a cord
On the page
The witness described an attempt to strangle the guard.
Nearby words
Word forms
- Base
- strangle
- Past tense
- strangled
- Past participle
- strangled
- Present participle
- strangling
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- strangle
- Present continuous
- am/is/are strangling
- Present perfect
- have/has strangled
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been strangling
- Past
- strangled
- Past continuous
- was/were strangling
- Past perfect
- had strangled
- Past perfect continuous
- had been strangling
- Future
- will strangle
- Future continuous
- will be strangling
- Future perfect
- will have strangled
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been strangling
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Explore related collections
Usage notes
Primary category: horror / gothic. Forms: strangle; strangles; strangled; strangled; strangling Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Commonness: moderately common. Third-person singular: strangles.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
Keep a thought for later. Sign in to save privately.