choke
verb (used with object)
to stop the breath of by squeezing or obstructing the windpipe; strangle; stifle.
had choked
-
past perfectof choke.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
Fighting in the Middle East had choked off a big chunk of the world’s fertilizer supply and sent prices for certain fertilizers up 40% from where they were in late February.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 8, 2026
That’s where she’s been on the mend since early March, when she arrived with a hook lodged in her throat and a flipper that was mostly dead from fishing line that had choked off circulation.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 28, 2026
Dams built in the mid-20th century had choked off the fishes’ breeding grounds, and the orcas were starving.
From New York Times ● Jan. 6, 2023
The nearly week-long blockade at the Ambassador Bridge — the busiest crossing on the U.S.-Canada land border and a key corridor for the automotive industry — had choked off more than $300 million per day.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 27, 2022
The mouth was wide open and ripped at the corners as though she had choked a little in giving up the tremendous vitality she had stored so long.
From " The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald
