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
What's Trending Now
More Trending Words
Read the Latest from M-W
Recent Examples of stifle from the Web
-
The company created what is called a stifle brace for Fievel, a black Lab mix who suffers from a painful torn ACL.
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
Definition of stifle
stifled;
stifling
play
\-f(ə-)liŋ\
transitive verb
2 a
:to cut off (the voice, the breath, etc.)
b
:to withhold from circulation or expression
- stifled our anger
c
:deter, discourage
intransitive verb
:to be or become unable to breathe easily
- stifling in the heat
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
-
The false signal stifles the immune system, allowing Zika to replicate.
-
The Washington women’s soccer team earned a 4-0 win over Michigan State behind two first-half goals from Shannon Simon and a stifling defense that allowed only six shots.
-
Unlike Earth, Mars doesn’t have a large moon to help stifle the long-term wobble of its orbital axis.
-
In a lengthy internal document which became public last Saturday, James Damore argued in part that women may be inherently inferior to men at writing software, and that discussion of the issue within Google was stifled by progressive groupthink.
-
Some treat the lack of inhibitions women exhibit as an invitation rather than an attempt to liberate themselves from a stifling system.
-
The president argues that government regulations are bad for business and stifle hiring.
-
The carelessness of the report compounds the callousness of its conclusion: that the schools serving black students most successfully should be stifled.
-
This is all assuming that Trump does not attempt to remove Mueller to stifle the investigation.
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
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
Medical Dictionary
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
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up stifle? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
