Ask Difference

Strangle vs. Choke — What's the Difference?

By Tayyaba Rehman & Maham Liaqat — Updated on April 20, 2024
Strangling involves compressing the neck to restrict airflow whereas choking blocks the airway, usually by an external object.
Strangle vs. Choke — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Strangle and Choke

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Key Differences

Strangling is a form of asphyxiation where pressure is applied to the neck, impacting both the airway and the blood vessels. This pressure can come from hands, a cord, or another object. In contrast, choking typically refers to an internal blockage of the airway by an object, such as food or a small item, preventing air from entering the lungs.
The method of action in strangling is external compression, which can inhibit both breathing and circulation depending on the force and location of the pressure. On the other hand, choking directly obstructs the trachea (windpipe), leading primarily to respiratory distress without necessarily affecting circulation.
Strangling can be a deliberate act often associated with violence or aggression, making it a common element in assaults or homicides. Whereas, choking is usually accidental, occurring when an object is inadvertently swallowed and lodges in the throat.
The symptoms of strangling include gasping, face discoloration, and potentially losing consciousness if the pressure is sustained. In contrast, choking victims often exhibit immediate coughing, gagging, and signs of panic, as the body reflexively attempts to clear the airway.
Responses to these situations also differ; strangling requires immediate cessation of neck compression and potentially legal intervention if it involves assault. Choking, however, often necessitates medical techniques such as back blows or the Heimlich maneuver to remove the obstruction.
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Comparison Chart

Definition

Compressing the neck to restrict air
Obstruction of the airway by an object

Method of action

External pressure to neck
Internal blockage in the throat

Common causes

Assault, homicide
Swallowing food or objects incorrectly

Primary effects

Impedes breathing and circulation
Blocks air intake only

Typical response needed

Stop compression, legal action
Back blows, Heimlich maneuver

Compare with Definitions

Strangle

To hinder or impede something, like progress or function.
High taxes can strangle economic growth.

Choke

A device to control airflow in an engine or furnace.
Adjust the choke to help the engine start in cold weather.

Strangle

To compress someone's throat, reducing airflow and blood circulation.
The assailant tried to strangle the victim during the robbery.

Choke

To fail to articulate or speak in a critical moment due to stress.
She choked during her presentation and forgot her lines.

Strangle

A grappling maneuver in martial arts that focuses on the neck.
He won the match with a skillful strangle hold.

Choke

To overwhelm or overpower emotions.
She was choked with emotion when she saw him.

Strangle

To constrict or bind tightly.
The tight collar seemed to strangle him.

Choke

To stop breathing because something is blocking the throat.
He began to choke on a piece of hard candy.

Strangle

To feel or cause to feel extreme emotion or stress.
She felt strangled by her overwhelming schedule.

Choke

To block or clog a passage or opening.
Fallen leaves can choke drainage systems.

Strangle

To kill by squeezing the throat so as to choke or suffocate; throttle.

Choke

(of a person or animal) have severe difficulty in breathing because of a constricted or obstructed throat or a lack of air
Willie choked on a mouthful of tea

Strangle

To cut off the oxygen supply of; smother.

Choke

Fill (a space) so as to make movement difficult or impossible
The roads were choked with traffic

Strangle

To suppress, repress, or stifle
Strangle a scream.

Choke

Make (someone) speechless with a strong feeling or emotion
He was choked with fury

Strangle

To inhibit the growth or action of; restrict
"That artist is strangled who is forced to deal with human beings solely in social terms" (James Baldwin).

Choke

Enrich the fuel mixture in (a petrol engine) by reducing the intake of air
Carbon monoxide results during a cold start, when an engine is choked

Strangle

To become strangled.

Choke

A valve in the carburettor of a petrol engine that is used to reduce the amount of air in the fuel mixture when the engine is started
An automatic choke
Too much choke does not help

Strangle

To die from suffocation or strangulation; choke.

Choke

An act or the sound of a person or animal having difficulty in breathing
A little choke of laughter

Strangle

(transitive) To kill someone by squeezing the throat so as to cut off the oxygen supply; to choke, suffocate or throttle.
He strangled his wife and dissolved the body in acid.

Choke

The inedible mass of silky fibres at the centre of a globe artichoke.

Strangle

(transitive) To stifle or suppress.
She strangled a scream.

Choke

To interfere with the respiration of by compression or obstruction of the larynx or trachea.

Strangle

(intransitive) To be killed by strangulation, or become strangled.
The cat slipped from the branch and strangled on its bell-collar.

Choke

To check or slow down the movement, growth, or action of
A garden that was choked by weeds.

Strangle

(intransitive) To be stifled, choked, or suffocated in any manner.

Choke

To block up or obstruct by filling or clogging
Mud choked the drainpipe.

Strangle

(finance) A trading strategy using options, constructed through taking equal positions in a put and a call with different strike prices, such that there is a payoff if the underlying asset's value moves beyond the range of the two strike prices.

Choke

To fill up completely; jam
Major commuter arteries were choked with stalled traffic.

Strangle

To stifle, choke, or suffocate in any manner.
Shall I not then be stifled in the vault, . . . And there die strangled ere my Romeo comes?

Choke

To reduce the air intake of (a carburetor), thereby enriching the fuel mixture.

Strangle

To hinder from appearance; to stifle; to suppress.

Choke

(Sports) To grip (a bat or racket, for example) at a point nearer the hitting surface.

Strangle

To be strangled, or suffocated.

Choke

To have difficulty in breathing, swallowing, or speaking.

Strangle

Kill by squeezing the throat of so as to cut off the air;
He tried to strangle his opponent
A man in Boston has been strangling several dozen prostitutes

Choke

To become blocked up or obstructed.

Strangle

Conceal or hide;
Smother a yawn
Muffle one's anger
Strangle a yawn

Choke

(Sports) To shorten one's grip on the handle of a bat or racket. Often used with up.

Strangle

Die from strangulation

Choke

To fail to perform effectively because of nervous agitation or tension, especially in an athletic contest
Choked by missing an easy putt on the final hole.

Strangle

Prevent the progress or free movement of;
He was hampered in his efforts by the bad weather
The imperilist nation wanted to strangle the free trade between the two small countries

Choke

The act or sound of choking.

Strangle

Constrict (someone's) throat and keep from breathing

Choke

Something that constricts or chokes.

Strangle

Struggle for breath; have insufficient oxygen intake;
He swallowed a fishbone and gagged

Choke

A device used in an internal-combustion engine to enrich the fuel mixture by reducing the flow of air to the carburetor.

Choke

The fibrous inedible center of an artichoke head.

Choke

(intransitive) 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).
Ever since he choked on a bone, he has refused to eat fish.

Choke

(transitive) To prevent (someone) from breathing or talking by strangling or filling the windpipe.
The collar of this shirt is too tight; it’s choking me.

Choke

(transitive) To obstruct (a passage, etc.) by filling it up or clogging it.
To choke a cave passage with boulders and mud

Choke

(transitive) To hinder or check, as growth, expansion, progress, etc.; to kill (a plant by robbing it of nutrients); to extinguish (fire by robbing it of oxygen).

Choke

To perform badly at a crucial stage of a competition, especially when one appears to be clearly winning.
He has a lot of talent, but he tends to choke under pressure.

Choke

(transitive) To move one's fingers very close to the tip of a pencil, brush or other art tool.

Choke

To hold the club or bat lower on the shaft in order to shorten one's swing.

Choke

(intransitive) To be checked or stopped, as if by choking

Choke

(transitive) To check or stop (an utterance or voice) as if by choking.

Choke

(intransitive) To have a feeling of strangulation in one's throat as a result of passion or strong emotion.

Choke

(transitive) To give (someone) a feeling of strangulation as a result of passion or strong emotion.

Choke

(transitive) To say (something) with one’s throat constricted (due to emotion, for example).

Choke

(transitive) To use the choke valve of (a vehicle) to adjust the air/fuel mixture in the engine.

Choke

To reach a condition of maximum flowrate, due to the flow at the narrowest point of the duct becoming sonic (Ma = 1).

Choke

A control on a carburetor to adjust the air/fuel mixture when the engine is cold.

Choke

(sports) In wrestling, karate (etc.), a type of hold that can result in strangulation.

Choke

A partial or complete blockage (of boulders, mud, etc.) in a cave passage.

Choke

(electronics) A choking coil.

Choke

A major mistake at a crucial stage of a competition because one is nervous, especially when one is winning.

Choke

The mass of immature florets in the centre of the bud of an artichoke.

Choke

To render unable to breathe by filling, pressing upon, or squeezing the windpipe; to stifle; to suffocate; to strangle.
With eager feeding food doth choke the feeder.

Choke

To obstruct by filling up or clogging any passage; to block up.

Choke

To hinder or check, as growth, expansion, progress, etc.; to stifle.
Oats and darnel choke the rising corn.

Choke

To affect with a sense of strangulation by passion or strong feeling.

Choke

To have the windpipe stopped; to have a spasm of the throat, caused by stoppage or irritation of the windpipe; to be strangled.

Choke

To be checked, as if by choking; to stick.
The words choked in his throat.

Choke

A stoppage or irritation of the windpipe, producing the feeling of strangulation.

Choke

The tied end of a cartridge.

Choke

A coil of low resistance and high inductance used in electrical circuits to pass direct current and attenuate alternating current

Choke

A valve that controls the flow of air into the carburetor of a gasoline engine

Choke

Breathe with great difficulty, as when experiencing a strong emotion;
She choked with emotion when she spoke about her deceased husband

Choke

Be too tight; rub or press;
This neckband is choking the cat

Choke

Wring the neck of;
The man choked his opponent

Choke

Constrict (someone's) throat and keep from breathing

Choke

Struggle for breath; have insufficient oxygen intake;
He swallowed a fishbone and gagged

Choke

Fail to perform adequately due to tension or agitation;
The team should have won hands down but choked, disappointing the coach and the audience

Choke

Check or slow down the action or effect of;
She choked her anger

Choke

Become or cause to become obstructed;
The leaves clog our drains in the Fall
The water pipe is backed up

Choke

Impair the respiration of or obstruct the air passage of;
The foul air was slowly suffocating the children

Choke

Become stultified, suppressed, or stifled;
He is suffocating--living at home with his aged parents in the small village

Choke

Suppress the development, creativity, or imagination of;
His job suffocated him

Choke

Die;
The old man finally kicked the bucket

Choke

Reduce the air supply;
Choke a carburetor

Choke

Cause to retch or choke

Common Curiosities

Can choking be fatal?

Yes, choking can be fatal if the airway blockage is not quickly cleared.

Is strangling always intentional?

Strangling is often intentional, especially in cases of assault or murder, but accidental strangling can occur, such as in hazardous working conditions.

What is the primary difference between strangling and choking?

Strangling involves external pressure applied to the neck, affecting airflow and blood circulation, whereas choking is caused by an internal blockage in the throat.

What are common signs of someone choking?

Common signs include coughing, gagging, sudden inability to speak, and clutching the throat.

How can someone help a choking victim?

Immediate actions include back blows and the Heimlich maneuver to try to dislodge the object from the victim's throat.

How can you tell if someone is at risk of choking?

A person at risk of choking may be eating too quickly, not chewing thoroughly, or consuming overly large pieces of food. Young children are particularly at risk as they might put small objects in their mouths.

What immediate actions should be taken if someone is being strangled?

If someone is being strangled, it's crucial to intervene immediately to stop the aggressor and call emergency services. Medical assessment is often necessary as internal injuries might not be immediately visible.

What should you do if you find yourself choking and alone?

If you are alone and choking, you can perform the Heimlich maneuver on yourself by using a chair or similar object to apply pressure to your upper abdomen, thrusting upward to dislodge the item.

Are there legal implications for someone who strangles another person?

Yes, strangling someone is a severe assault and is treated as a criminal offense. It can lead to charges such as attempted murder or manslaughter, depending on the jurisdiction and circumstances.

What are some typical scenarios where choking might occur?

Common scenarios for choking include eating too quickly, not chewing food properly, laughter during eating, or toddlers who put small toys or objects in their mouths.

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Author Spotlight

Written by
Tayyaba Rehman
Tayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat

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