Standard Lemma guide

chokehold

noun · verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈt͡ʃəʊkhəʊld/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: /ˈt͡ʃoʊkˌ(h)oʊld/
  • General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: CH OW1 K HH OW2 L D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

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 source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: government, hobbies, lifestyle, martial-arts, military, politics, sports, war, wrestling

Examples

  • He put his opponent in a chokehold.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: neckhold

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: sleeper hold

2

noun

Meaning 2

A powerful and restrictive control or influence over something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: broadly, figuratively

Examples

  • One country has a chokehold on another country's economy.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: stranglehold, throttlehold

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To put a hold around the neck of (someone), especially one in which the neck is grasped tightly from behind with an arm.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To exert tight, restrictive, control over someone or something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: broadly, figuratively, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

a restraining hold; someone loops the arm around the neck of another person in a tight grip, usually from behind

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he grabbed the woman in a chokehold, demanded her cash and jewelry, and then fled

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: choke hold

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: clasp, clench, clutch, clutches, grasp, grip, hold

6

noun

Meaning 6

complete power over a person or situation

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • corporations have a stranglehold on the media
  • the president applied a chokehold to labor disputes that inconvenienced the public

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: stranglehold, throttlehold

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: power, powerfulness

History

Etymology

The noun is derived from choke (verb) + hold (noun). The verb is derived from the noun.

Across languages

Translations

19 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Danish: kvælertag — grappling hold around a person’s neck
  • Faroese: kvørkratak — grappling hold around a person’s neck
  • Finnish: kuristusote — grappling hold around a person’s neck
  • Finnish: kurkkuote — grappling hold around a person’s neck
  • French: clé de tête — grappling hold around a person’s neck
  • German: Würgegriff — grappling hold around a person’s neck
  • Polish: duszenie — grappling hold around a person’s neck
  • Portuguese: mata-leão — grappling hold around a person’s neck
  • Russian: удуша́ющий приём (udušájuščij prijóm) — grappling hold around a person’s neck
  • Spanish: llave de cuello — grappling hold around a person’s neck
  • Spanish: llave mataleón — grappling hold around a person’s neck
  • Spanish: mataleón — grappling hold around a person’s neck
  • Swedish: strypgrepp — grappling hold around a person’s neck
  • Faroese: kvørkratak — powerful and restrictive control or influence over something
  • Finnish: kuristusote — powerful and restrictive control or influence over something
  • German: Würgegriff — powerful and restrictive control or influence over something
  • Polish: duszenie — powerful and restrictive control or influence over something
  • Finnish: tarttua kurkusta — to put a hold around the neck of (someone)
  • Polish: dusić — to put a hold around the neck of (someone)