From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English stran‧gle‧hold /ˈstræŋɡəlhəʊld $ -hoʊld/ noun [ countable] 1 [ usually singular] complete control over a situation, organization etc stranglehold on Just a few firms have a stranglehold on the market for this software. break/loosen the stranglehold of somebody (=stop someone having complete control) 2 a strong hold around someone’s neck that stops them from breathing Examples from...