Home › Words › C › chokeholdchokehold/ˈt͡ʃəʊkhəʊld/chokehold · noun — A grappling hold around a person's neck, especially one in which the neck is grasped tightly from behind with an arm, cutting off the flow of blood to the brain and restricting breathing.Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).chokehold is pronounced /ˈt͡ʃəʊkhəʊld/.EtymologyThe noun is derived from choke (verb) + hold (noun). The verb is derived from the noun.nounA grappling hold around a person's neck, especially one in which the neck is grasped tightly from behind with an arm, cutting off the flow of blood to the brain and restricting breathing.e.g.“He put his opponent in a chokehold.”A powerful and restrictive control or influence over something.e.g.“One country has a chokehold on another country's economy.”verbTo put a hold around the neck of (someone), especially one in which the neck is grasped tightly from behind with an arm.To exert tight, restrictive, control over someone or something.Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).Words closest in meaningBy meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.choked 68% match — Having been unable to breathe due to airway obstruction (choking) or strangulation, but usually to the point of pain and discomfort without death. vs chokehold →strangle 68% match — To kill someone by squeezing the throat so as to cut off the oxygen supply. vs chokehold →stranglehold 67% match — A grip or control so strong as to stifle or cut off. vs chokehold →headlock 67% match — A wrestling move where the attacker puts their arm tightly round their opponent's head, from which the opponent cannot easily escape. vs chokehold →choke 67% match — To be unable to breathe because of obstruction of the windpipe (for instance food or other objects that go down the wrong way, or fumes or particles in the air that cause the throat to constrict). vs chokehold →chokable 65% match — On which a person might choke. vs chokehold →choking 65% match — The process in which a person's airway becomes blocked, resulting in asphyxia in cases that are not treated promptly. vs chokehold →chokey 64% match — Reminiscent of choking. vs chokehold →