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Glite Dictionary
to choke down

to choke down

2 7.7
To stop yourself from showing strong feelings like sadness or anger
  • phrasal verb
  • /tʃoʊk daʊn/
translation icon : reprimir
  • She managed to choke down a few bites of cake, but that was all.
  • trying to choke down
  • choke down a few

Examples

  • Choking down the lump in his throat, he managed to gurgle, "No."

    Fiction book (1998)

  • Neil choked down his disappointment.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • It's horrifying each time, and I always do my best to choke it down.

    Blog text (14)

  • Benjamin choked down his sobs.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • I have a few food aversions, but nothing that I wouldn't be able to choke down in order to be polite.

    Blog text (14)

  • Hattie said in a high, tight voice, "How am I going to think with you carrying on?" Coralee choked down her sob.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • After hearing the sad news, I had to choke down my tears in front of everyone.

  • During the meeting, she tried to choke down her frustration while listening to the complaints.

  • He managed to choke down his anxiety and deliver the speech confidently.

Synonyms

to hold back
vsto choke down
108 4.2

Keep yourself from showing feelings or telling others

is specific to preventing emotional reactions rather than general withholding
to choke
vsto choke down
97 4.9

To find it hard to speak because you feel strong emotion

is specifically about stopping emotional reactions rather than creative limits
to suppress
vsto choke down
88 5.8

To hold back feelings or reactions

may be used without focus on conscious choice
to repress
vsto choke down
75 6.6

Keep strong feelings or memories from coming into the mind

is about preventing outward expression rather than burying them mentally
to restrain
vsto choke down
72 4.6

Keep strong feelings under control so you do not act on them

is broader covering any prevented action not only emotional reactions
to hold in
vsto choke down
65 4.5

To stop yourself from showing strong feelings

is about stopping outward expression rather than private holding
to stifle
vsto choke down
49 5.3

To hold back a feeling or reaction so it does not show

focuses on stopping immediate expression rather than long term change
to smother
vsto choke down
39 6.0

To stop a feeling or sound from being shown

is milder often only preventing outward display not full suffocation
to strangle
vsto choke down
33 6.7

To limit growth or activity so it cannot continue

is the most forceful suppression compared with simple stopping of reactions
to bottle up
vsto choke down
24 5.6

To keep strong feelings inside instead of telling others

often implies long term accumulation rather than a single suppression
to inhibit
vsto choke down
11 6.3

Make someone unable to act naturally or show feelings

often implies being made unable rather than choosing to stop a reaction
to quench
vsto choke down
7 6.1

To stop a feeling or action completely

is more extreme ending feeling entirely rather than merely stopping it
to swallow
vsto choke down
  • Informal
5 7.0

To take back words you said

is about stopping emotional reactions rather than only unspoken words
to choke back
vsto choke down
4 7.0

Stop yourself from showing a feeling when you want to cry

is general suppression without stressing the struggle
to keep back
vsto choke down
4 5.1

Stop yourself from showing an emotion like tears or laughter

usually refers to self control more than stopping other people
to fight down
vsto choke down
1 7.0

To try hard to hold back a strong feeling

is more general stopping, not focused on the active battle
to hold back one's laughter
vsto choke down
3.7

To stop yourself from making a sound when something is funny

is used for any emotion or reaction not only amusement
to smother one's anger
vsto choke down
  • Informal
7.5

To stop yourself from showing angry feelings

is general suppression of reactions not limited to strong hostility
to becloak one's feelings
vsto choke down
  • Archaic
9.9

To hide your feelings so other people cannot see them

is mainly about hiding outward signs rather than stopping internal reaction
to sheathe emotions
vsto choke down
  • Informal
7.9

To hide your feelings so others cannot see them

is about concealment for social reasons rather than internal blocking

Antonyms

to express
∞ 2.3

To show ideas and feelings by words or actions

to release
∞ 1.8

To let someone or something go free from being held

How Suppressed

to stifle
49 5.3
to suppress
88 5.8
to choke down
2 7.7
to restrain
72 4.6
to hold back
108 4.2

Surface Forms

choke down infinitive
choked down past
choked down past participle
choking down present participle
chokes down third person singular

Morphology

choke + down

The verb 'choke' (to stifle) combined with 'down' (adding a sense of forcing inward or completion) gives a fairly clear cue that something is being suppressed, so a learner who knows both words could often infer the meaning. However, the usage relies on a metaphorical extension and particle idiomacy (and the phrase also has a literal sense with swallowing), so the relation is not fully predictable without exposure.

Etymology

The phrasal verb choke down comes from the image of trying to choke on something and force it down your throat so it does not come out. So the phrase means 'to hold back an emotion'.