# choke up

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/choke-up
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to feel so much emotion that you find it hard to speak. You might feel like you are about to cry.

For teachers: to become unable to speak clearly or at all due to a strong emotional response, typically sadness or overwhelming gratitude.

## Examples

- He starts to choke up whenever he talks about his old dog.
- The bride's father began to choke up during his speech at the wedding reception.
- The veteran choked up as he recounted the harrowing details of the rescue mission to the hushed audience.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The sad movie made me choke." but "The sad movie made me choke up." — without 'up', 'choke' implies you are physically unable to breathe because of an object in your throat.

## Usage notes

- usually used as an intransitive verb to describe a person's physical reaction to emotion.
- Teaching tip: contrast with 'choke' (physical blockage of the throat) to show how the particle 'up' shifts the meaning to an internal emotional state.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.