choke
verb (used with object)
to stop the breath of by squeezing or obstructing the windpipe; strangle; stifle.
had been choking
-
past perfect progressiveof choke.past perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.
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.
The 33-year-old said she initially thought Adam had been choking but he then stopped breathing.
From BBC ● Nov. 25, 2025
I tried to figure out what it was that had been choking me, and where it had suddenly and mysteriously gone.
From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane
She had been choking with grief since morning, and now she burst out sobbing and thus sought relief.
From Four Short Stories By Emile Zola by Émile Zola
At that the dull anger I had been choking down most of that day broke over me.
From The McBrides A Romance of Arran by John Sillars
The memory of the events of that morning and of her trip to the pawn-place tore from her the sobs that had been choking her throat.
From L'Assommoir by Émile Zola
