choke back
Britishverb
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Often appearing to choke back tears, he told his counsel Tony Graham KC he remembered nothing of the accident nor the journey leading up to it.
From BBC • Nov. 11, 2025
But his impact throughout life was profound to those who knew him well, and they invariably choke back tears when talking about him.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 8, 2022
“I did use my own product, and I used it too much,” Stella said, at one point pausing to choke back tears.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 22, 2021
He kept his speech short and sweet — 12 seconds shy of his four-minute limit, including a couple of pauses to choke back tears.
From New York Times • Dec. 5, 2019
I choke back a laugh remembering this now, imagining Helene's face if she knew she was being referred to as a siren.
From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
