One syllable: Choke.
chohk
/tʃoʊk/
Choke is pronounced chohk (/tʃoʊk/). It has one syllable (Choke), with the stress on "Choke". Choke (verb): to obstruct or impede the flow of air or liquid, causing difficulty in breathing or swallowing; to fill a passage so as to block it. It can also mean to fail to act decisively, especially under pressure. In cooking or mechanism contexts it can refer to obstructing a valve or passage. Typical everyday usage spans physical obstruction and figurative failure under stress.
verbChoke (verb): to obstruct or impede the flow of air or liquid, causing difficulty in breathing or swallowing; to fill a passage so as to block it. It can also mean to fail to act decisively, especially under pressure. In cooking or mechanism contexts it can refer to obstructing a valve or passage. Typical everyday usage spans physical obstruction and figurative failure under stress.
"The narrow pipe will choke the engine if debris gets inside."
"He choked on a pretzel and needed a quick cough to clear his airway."
"The dam threatened to choke the river’s flow after the flood."
Choke is pronounced /tʃoʊk/ in US and UK English, with the initial /tʃ/ sound (as in chair) followed by a long close-mid back vowel /oʊ/ and ending with /k/. In rapid speech, the diphthong may slide toward /əʊ/ in some UK/AU varieties. Tip: start with a light alveolar release for /t/ before the /ʃ/ blend, then glide into the /oʊ/ long vowel and end firmly with /k/. Audio examples: try Pronounce or Forvo as reference.
Two frequent errors: (1) mispronouncing the initial /tʃ/ as /t/ or /ʃ/, which can blur the blend; ensure your tongue rises to contact the alveolar ridge for /tʃ/. (2) incorrectly finishing with a lax /k/ or not releasing the final plosive fully; use a clean, aspirated /k/ with a short release. Practice by isolating the /tʃ/ onset, then the /oʊ/ nucleus, then a crisp /k/ release.
In US English, /tʃoʊk/ with a pronounced /oʊ/ and a rhotic tone on preceding vowels in connected speech. UK English often features a slightly shorter /oʊ/ and may show less vowel length in rapid speech; the /tʃ/ is similar but with crisper tongue contact. Australian English tends toward a broader, less diphthongized /oʊ/ or /əʊ/, with nonrhotic tendencies in some varieties but generally similar to UK. Overall: initial /tʃ/ remains constant, vowel quality shifts slightly by region.
The challenge lies in the precise sequence: start with a strong /tʃ/ blend requiring simultaneous tongue blade tension and lip rounding, followed by a clear, tense /oʊ/ vowel that transitions into a hard /k/ release. In connected speech, the diphthong can reduce, and the final /k/ can be unreleased or devoiced. Mastery requires coordinating tongue position for /tʃ/, jaw-height for /oʊ/, and a distinct stop closure for /k/.
Yes, the key feature is the two-part articulation: a precise /tʃ/ onset that blends into a rounded, rounded-dip diphthong /oʊ/ and a decisive /k/ closure. The mouth remains relatively closed at onset, then opens for the /oʊ/ glide, before a quick, firm /k/. In teaching, highlight the tongue’s position at the alveolar ridge for /tʃ/ and ensure the lip rounding and jaw height sustain the /oʊ/ integrity before the final aspirated stop.
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Choke comes from the Old English cabian or analogous roots related to choking and choking sounds, but the modern sense centers on obstructing air or liquid flow. The word traces through Middle English and Old English variants, evolving from verbs meaning to seize or suffocate. By the 16th century, choke carried both literal and figurative meanings (to stop, to obstruct, or to cause distress). Its phonetic form reflects the common Germanic consonant cluster of /tʃ/ at the start, akin to words like chase or cheek, with the long /oʊ/ vowel in many dialectal realizations. In nautical and mechanical jargon, choke is used to denote a mechanism that restricts flow, reinforcing its core sense of restriction. Over time, choke broadened to include figurative “to fail under pressure” usages, such as choking in sports or performances, while retaining strong ties to obstruction and suffocation. First known written usages appear in English texts during the late medieval period, with the sense consolidating across the Early Modern English era into the everyday verb we use today.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Choke" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Choke" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Choke"
-oke sounds
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