Strangle vs. Throttle — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 28, 2023
Strangle means to constrict the neck to impede breathing; throttle can mean to choke or to regulate the flow of fuel in an engine.
Difference Between Strangle and Throttle
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Key Differences
Strangle refers to the act of compressing someone's neck, cutting off air supply. Throttle, in a literal sense, also means to choke or strangle, but it often carries mechanical connotations, referring to controlling engine speed.
Strangling is primarily associated with a physical assault or an act of violence. Throttling, while it can have a similar violent connotation, is frequently used in mechanical contexts, such as adjusting the flow of fuel or power in engines.
The term strangle is often used in forensic contexts or criminal discussions. Throttle, apart from its violent meaning, is commonly used in automotive and aeronautical industries, denoting the control of engine power.
Strangle has a more singular, specific meaning, whereas throttle has dual connotations, both violent and mechanical. Throttle's versatility gives it a broader scope of use compared to strangle.
In both cases, the idea of constriction or control is central. However, strangle is more confined to physical, often lethal, human actions, while throttle spans a wider range of applications, from manual force to technical control mechanisms in machines.
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Comparison Chart
Primary Meaning
Constricting the neck to impede breathing.
Choking or controlling engine speed.
Usage Context
Often associated with violence or crime.
Used both violently and in mechanical contexts.
Connotation
Generally violent and lethal.
Dual connotation: violent and technical.
Industries
Mostly used in law enforcement or forensic.
Common in automotive and aeronautical industries.
Application
Singularly focused on physical action.
Broad application in physical action and mechanical control.
Compare with Definitions
Strangle
To compress someone’s neck to restrict breathing.
He was accused of attempting to strangle the victim.
Throttle
To regulate the flow of fuel in an engine.
He throttled the engine to gain more speed.
Strangle
A method of causing suffocation by neck compression.
The detective concluded it was a case of strangling.
Throttle
To choke or strangle in a violent context.
The antagonist throttled his rival in the movie.
Strangle
An action causing choking by compressing the neck.
Strangling is a dangerous and potentially lethal action.
Throttle
Controlling acceleration by adjusting fuel flow.
Throttling up, the car surged forward.
Strangle
A form of physical assault through neck compression.
The witness described how the attacker tried to strangle her.
Throttle
A throttle is the mechanism by which fluid flow is managed by constriction or obstruction. An engine's power can be increased or decreased by the restriction of inlet gases (by the use of a throttle), but usually decreased.
Strangle
To kill by squeezing the throat so as to choke or suffocate; throttle.
Throttle
A device controlling the flow of fuel or power to an engine
The engines were at full throttle
Strangle
To cut off the oxygen supply of; smother.
Throttle
A person's throat, gullet, or windpipe.
Strangle
To suppress, repress, or stifle
Strangle a scream.
Throttle
Attack or kill (someone) by choking or strangling them
She was sorely tempted to throttle him
International sanctions were then throttling the country's economy
Strangle
To inhibit the growth or action of; restrict
"That artist is strangled who is forced to deal with human beings solely in social terms" (James Baldwin).
Throttle
Control (an engine or vehicle) with a throttle
It has two engines that can be throttled
Strangle
To become strangled.
Throttle
A valve that regulates the flow of a fluid, such as the valve in an internal-combustion engine that controls the amount of air-fuel mixture entering the cylinders.
Strangle
To die from suffocation or strangulation; choke.
Throttle
A lever or pedal controlling such a valve.
Strangle
(transitive) To kill someone by squeezing the throat so as to cut off the oxygen supply; to choke, suffocate or throttle.
He strangled his wife and dissolved the body in acid.
Throttle
To regulate the flow of (fuel) in an engine.
Strangle
(transitive) To stifle or suppress.
She strangled a scream.
Throttle
To regulate the speed of (an engine) with a throttle.
Strangle
(intransitive) To be killed by strangulation, or become strangled.
The cat slipped from the branch and strangled on its bell-collar.
Throttle
To suppress
Tried to throttle the press.
Strangle
(intransitive) To be stifled, choked, or suffocated in any manner.
Throttle
To strangle (a person); choke.
Strangle
(finance) A trading strategy using options, constructed through taking equal positions in a put and a call with different strike prices, such that there is a payoff if the underlying asset's value moves beyond the range of the two strike prices.
Throttle
A valve that regulates the supply of fuel-air mixture to an internal combustion engine and thus controls its speed; a similar valve that controls the air supply to an engine.
Strangle
To compress the windpipe of (a person or animal) until death results from stoppage of respiration; to choke to death by compressing the throat, as with the hand or a rope.
Our Saxon ancestors compelled the adulteress to strangle herself.
Throttle
The lever or pedal that controls this valve.
Strangle
To stifle, choke, or suffocate in any manner.
Shall I not then be stifled in the vault, . . . And there die strangled ere my Romeo comes?
Throttle
The windpipe or trachea.
Strangle
To hinder from appearance; to stifle; to suppress.
Throttle
(transitive) To control or adjust the speed of (an engine).
Strangle
To be strangled, or suffocated.
Throttle
(transitive) To cut back on the speed of (an engine, person, organization, network connection, etc.).
Strangle
Kill by squeezing the throat of so as to cut off the air;
He tried to strangle his opponent
A man in Boston has been strangling several dozen prostitutes
Throttle
(transitive) To strangle or choke someone.
Strangle
Conceal or hide;
Smother a yawn
Muffle one's anger
Strangle a yawn
Throttle
(intransitive) To have the throat obstructed so as to be in danger of suffocation; to choke; to suffocate.
Strangle
Die from strangulation
Throttle
(intransitive) To breathe hard, as when nearly suffocated.
Strangle
Prevent the progress or free movement of;
He was hampered in his efforts by the bad weather
The imperilist nation wanted to strangle the free trade between the two small countries
Throttle
(transitive) To utter with breaks and interruption, in the manner of a person half suffocated.
Strangle
Constrict (someone's) throat and keep from breathing
Throttle
The windpipe, or trachea; the weasand.
Strangle
Struggle for breath; have insufficient oxygen intake;
He swallowed a fishbone and gagged
Throttle
The throttle valve.
Strangle
An act of violence involving neck constriction.
The suspect denied any intent to strangle.
Throttle
To compress the throat of; to choke; to strangle.
Grant him this, and the Parliament hath no more freedom than if it sat in his noose, which, when he pleases to draw together with one twitch of his negative, shall throttle a whole nation, to the wish of Caligula, in one neck.
Throttle
To utter with breaks and interruption, in the manner of a person half suffocated.
Throttle their practiced accent in their fears.
Throttle
To shut off, or reduce flow of, as steam to an engine.
Throttle
To have the throat obstructed so as to be in danger of suffocation; to choke; to suffocate.
Throttle
To breathe hard, as when nearly suffocated.
Throttle
A valve that regulates the supply of fuel to the engine
Throttle
A pedal that controls the throttle valve;
He stepped on the gas
Throttle
Place limits on (extent or access);
Restrict the use of this parking lot
Limit the time you can spend with your friends
Throttle
Kill by squeezing the throat of so as to cut off the air;
He tried to strangle his opponent
A man in Boston has been strangling several dozen prostitutes
Throttle
Reduce the air supply;
Choke a carburetor
Throttle
Adjusting the speed of a vehicle or machine.
The pilot throttled back as they approached the runway.
Throttle
Controlling the flow or power of a system.
The engineer throttled the steam to control the pressure.
Common Curiosities
Can "strangle" be used metaphorically?
Yes, it can mean to restrict or stifle, as in "strangling regulations."
Are "strangle" and "throttle" synonyms in violence?
Yes, in the context of physical violence, they can be synonymous.
Are these terms legally synonymous?
They might be used interchangeably in legal language regarding assault.
Can "throttle" mean to slow down?
Yes, in mechanical contexts, it can mean reducing power or speed.
Is "throttle" used in aviation?
Yes, it's a common term in controlling aircraft engines.
Is strangling always lethal?
Not always, but it's a potentially lethal act.
Is "strangle" used in technology?
Metaphorically, yes, like "strangling the bandwidth."
Is "throttle" used in car racing?
Yes, it's a common term in automotive contexts.
Is "throttle" always mechanical?
No, it can also mean to choke or strangle someone.
Does "throttle" have a positive use?
Yes, in controlling engines or machines efficiently.
Can "throttle" imply gradual increase?
Yes, like gradually increasing engine power.
Does "strangle" have any non-violent meanings?
Rarely, it's predominantly used in violent contexts.
Can "strangle" be used in a business context?
Metaphorically, to describe stifling or restrictive practices.
Do these terms require physical contact?
Generally, yes, both imply physical action.
Can "throttle" refer to total shutdown?
Yes, as in "throttling down" an engine completely.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
