stifle

verb

sti·​fle ˈstī-fəl 

stifled; stifling ˈstī-f(ə-)liŋ 

transitive verb

1

a

: to withhold from circulation or expression

stifled our anger

b

: to cut off (the voice, the breath, etc.)

c

: deter, discourage

intended to stifle dissent

2

a(1)

: muffle

(2)

: smother

b

: to kill by depriving of oxygen : suffocate

intransitive verb

: to be or become unable to breathe easily

stifling in the heat

stifler

ˈstī-f(ə-)lər 

noun

stiflingly

ˈstī-f(ə-)liŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms of stifle

• strangle
• choke
• smother
• suffocate

Examples of stifle in a Sentence

trying to stifle a cry

I had to stifle the desire to yell “Stop!”.

Students at the school are stifled by the pressure to score high on tests.

Too many regulations stifle innovation.

something that stifles the growth of the plant

I wish we could go outside instead of stifling in this tiny room.

He was almost stifled by the smoke.

Recent Examples on the Web

But rights groups have criticized the term as it may be discretionarily applied to a broad swath of activities and could be used to stifle freedoms. —Chad De Guzman, Time, 3 June 2026

Micromanagement stifles creativity, motivation, and productivity. —Maria Ross, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026

Players from the top European teams, like Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, had already played sixty matches during their regular seasons, before taking to pitches in heat-dome temperatures of ninety-seven degrees and stifling humidity. —Sam Knight, New Yorker, 1 June 2026

The war has stifled the flow of oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. —Damian J. Troise, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

alteration of Middle English stuflen

First Known Use

1513, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2b

Rhymes for stifle

• hyphal
• rifle
• trifle

Kids Definition

stifle

verb

sti·​fle

ˈstī-fəl

stifled; stifling

-f(ə-)liŋ

1

: to kill by depriving of or die from lack of oxygen or air : smother

2

: to keep in check by deliberate effort : repress

trying to stifle a sneeze

stiflingly

-f(ə-)liŋ-lē

adverb

Medical Definition

stifle

noun

sti·​fle ˈstī-fəl 

: the joint next above the hock in the hind leg of a quadruped (as a horse) corresponding to the knee in humans