stifle

verb sti·fle \ ˈstī-fəl \

|Updated on: 12 Jun 2018

Examples: stifle in a Sentence

Definition of stifle

stifled; stifling play \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

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

play \ˈstī-f(ə-)lər\ noun

—

stiflingly

play \ˈstī-f(ə-)liŋ-lē\ adverb

See stifle defined for English-language learners

See stifle defined for kids

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 of stifle from the Web

Looking more closely at the last five games, the list of opponents stands out because of the caliber of teams that have stifled the Germans since the end of last year: England, France, Spain and Brazil.

— juan pimiento, chicagotribune.com, "Neymar's dashing return, Germany's slump and the best of the soccer weekend," 3 June 2018
Conservatives like to paint this as some kind of fascistic cultural hegemony that stifles speech, which is incredibly wrongheaded and shortsighted.

— bijan stephen, GQ, "The Defiant Anthems of Chvrches," 21 May 2018
Republicans said the regulations threaten heavy-handed government intrusion that would stifle innovation on the internet.

— jim puzzanghera, latimes.com, "Senate takes first step to save net neutrality rules, voting to overturn FCC action," 16 May 2018
Donovan Mitchell's and Joe Ingles's brilliance will highlight Utah's success, but Rudy Gobert and the Jazz's stifling defense are a key reason for the team's 3-1 series lead over OKC.

— rohan nadkarni, SI.com, "Behind Rudy Gobert, the Jazz Have Smothered Russell Westbrook and the Thunder," 24 Apr. 2018
The dense tropical canopy beneath them makes for stifling heat—and the perfect cover from prying U.S. satellites.

— dan dubno, Popular Mechanics, "The DIY Submarines Smuggling Millions of Dollars of Cocaine Into the U.S.," 23 Apr. 2018
DePersia guarded Holden, but junior defensive stopper Lewis Evans also came in and displayed some stifling defense.

— marc narducci, Philly.com, "No letdown for Haddonfield in earning the South Jersey Group 2 title," 5 Mar. 2018
The Portland Trail Blazers praised the Utah Jazz's stifling defense, lauded their swift, precise ball-movement and acknowledged their third-quarter dominance.

— joe freeman, OregonLive.com, "Portland Trail Blazers praise 'rookie of the year' Donovan Mitchell, CJ McCollum bemoans turnovers," 12 Feb. 2018
Sharpe stifled him, and Bell retreated back to the half-court line.

— charlie hatch, Cincinnati.com, "Tyler Sharpe has first start, gets late defensive stop in NKU's 54-52 win over Milwaukee," 8 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'stifle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of stifle

alteration of Middle English stuflen

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1513

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2b

See Words from the same year

stifle Synonyms

stifle

noun

Definition of stifle

: the joint next above the hock in the hind leg of a quadruped (such as a horse or dog) corresponding to the human knee — see horse illustration

Recent Examples of stifle from the Web

The government did not appear to prove its case that a bulked-up AT&T would harm consumers and stifle competition.

— brooks barnes, New York Times, "As Disney Moves Forward With Fox, Comcast Continues Plotting," 20 May 2018
Clyde the Belgian came to Hay Burr Inn with a stifle injury.

— denise coffey, Courant Community, "Working Small Miracles At Hay Burr Inn Equine Rescue," 19 Sep. 2017
The company created what is called a stifle brace for Fievel, a black Lab mix who suffers from a painful torn ACL.

— stacey delikat, Fox News, "Prosthetic limbs offering pets a new 'leash' on life," 3 July 2017

Origin and Etymology of stifle

Middle English

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

STIFLE Defined for English Language Learners

stifle

verb

Definition of stifle for English Language Learners

: to not allow yourself to do or express (something)
: to stop (someone) from doing or expressing something
: to make (something) difficult or impossible

STIFLE Defined for Kids

stifle

verb sti·fle \ ˈstī-fəl \

Definition of stifle for Students

stifled; stifling

1 : to cause or have difficulty in breathing

The room was hot and stifling.

2 : to keep in check by effort

I had to stifle a laugh.

Medical Dictionary

stifle

noun sti·fle \ ˈstī-fəl \

medical Definition of stifle

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

Illustration of stifle

Learn More about stifle

See words that rhyme with stifle Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for stifle Spanish Central: Translation of stifle Nglish: Translation of stifle for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of stifle for Arabic speakers

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stifle

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stifler

stiflingly

Examples of stifle in a Sentence

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Synonyms

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stifle

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STIFLE Defined for English Language Learners

stifle

Definition of stifle for English Language Learners

STIFLE Defined for Kids

stifle

Definition of stifle for Students

Medical Dictionary

stifle

medical Definition of stifle

Illustration of stifle

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