stranglehold

American  

[strang-guhl-hohld] / ˈstræŋ gəlˌhoʊld /

noun

1. Wrestling. an illegal hold by which an opponent's breath is choked off.

2. a restraining hold in which one person uses an arm to encircle the neck of another; a chokehold.

3. any force or influence that restricts the free actions or development of a person or thing; a stifling grip.

   to break the stranglehold of superstition.

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stranglehold British  

/ ˈstræŋɡəlˌhəʊld /

noun

1. a wrestling hold in which a wrestler's arms are pressed against his opponent's windpipe See also Japanese stranglehold

2. complete power or control over a person or situation

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Etymology

Origin of stranglehold

First recorded in 1890–95; strangle + hold ¹

Example Sentences

But Iran also has a say given its stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz, she added.

From The Wall Street Journal

English language music is losing its stranglehold on the charts, according to new data from music streaming giant Spotify.

From BBC

"The way they play and how good they are technically, they took a stranglehold of the ball," Howe said.

From BBC

It seems remarkable that, in an era of high-tech production lines, this town has been able to maintain a stranglehold on the lantern market, using production techniques from another era.

From BBC

But of course, as a 40-something woman, I was already well aware of the stranglehold such topics have on my peer group.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• grip
• monopoly