Meaning of choke back | Babel Free

Definitions

To hold back or suppress (an emotion, expression of emotion, or utterance), with difficulty.

transitive

Examples

“When she slapped me, I tried hard to choke back my tears.”

“He had a cutting retort on the tip⟳ of his tongue, but he choked it back.”

“[…] when Di looked at his pinched and pale face⟳ in this placid condition, the tears would overflow their natural boundary, and sobs would rise⟳ up in her pretty throat, but she choked them back for fear of disturbing her boy.”

“Anne choked back a mad desire to laugh⟳ with the conviction that it would be fatal, and then earnestly set⟳ about saving Marilla’s reputation.”

“Now it was painful to have⟳ to choke back words for fear of his amused grin.”

“Choking back his own⟳ fear of the desolate, grassless woodland […], he began.”

CEFR level