1
as in to strangle
to be or cause to be killed by lack of breathable air
unfortunately, the robbers were stifled when they got trapped in the airless bank vault
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to suppress
to refrain from openly showing or uttering
stifled a yawn
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stifle
Rather than stifling free speech, colleges should encourage respectful debate and promote ideological diversity over woke indoctrination.
—
Editorial, Boston Herald, 8 May 2025
And while May in America is recognized as Asian American Pacific Islander Month, pride is complicated when we’re also saddled with a president who seems nothing less than hellbent on stifling the voices and celebration of any minority population.
—Juliet Izon, Vogue, 7 May 2025
This weakens the follicle over time to stifle hair from growing in the first place.
—Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 7 May 2025
As was Minnesota’s stifling defense, leading to the Lakers shooting just 29.3% from the field and 23.1% from 3-point range in the fourth quarters.
—Khobi Price, Oc Register, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for stifle
Editorial, Boston Herald, 8 May 2025
And while May in America is recognized as Asian American Pacific Islander Month, pride is complicated when we’re also saddled with a president who seems nothing less than hellbent on stifling the voices and celebration of any minority population.
—Juliet Izon, Vogue, 7 May 2025
This weakens the follicle over time to stifle hair from growing in the first place.
—Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 7 May 2025
As was Minnesota’s stifling defense, leading to the Lakers shooting just 29.3% from the field and 23.1% from 3-point range in the fourth quarters.
—Khobi Price, Oc Register, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for stifle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stifle
Verb
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Finally, things became so intense that Ishida developed a fascination for erotic asphyxiation, which is how Abe came to strangle him to death in a love hotel one night.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
14 May 2025
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Six children were allegedly beaten and strangled to the point of unconsciousness, among other forms of torture by their guardians and another adult at a Victorville home, with some of the abuse going back at least a decade, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.—
Nathan Solis,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2025
Verb
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Orwell authored 1984, a bleak vision of the future where an authoritarian regime weaponizes language to suppress independent thought and rewrite history.—
Jason Snyder,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2025
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However, consistent, long-term stress can wear down your immune system, exposing you to inflammation and suppressing your body's response to infections.2 UTIs occur when the urinary tract, including the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra, is infected.—
Brittany Dube,
Health,
13 May 2025
Verb
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Congressional push-back is inevitable, but the promise of tens of thousands of U.S. jobs can muffle many speeches.—
Guney Yildiz,
Forbes.com,
13 May 2025
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Harvard researched how to use sonar against Nazi submarines and how to muffle noise in long-range bombers, contributing to the development of fiberglass.—
L. RAFAEL REIF,
Foreign Affairs,
6 May 2025
Verb
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That includes allegations that in 2024, Burgin would consistently put his hands on her—scratching, choking her, and slamming her head into a wall.—
Victoria Uwumarogie,
Essence,
19 May 2025
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The girl, whose family identified her as Lily, was driven to a remote location on the night of May 3, where her ex-boyfriend then assaulted her, choked her and threw her from a moving vehicle, the Star-Telegram previously reported.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 May 2025
Verb
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To maximize fluoride’s effect, keep them in the mouth for 1-2 minutes before swallowing.—
Matt Fuchs,
Time,
14 May 2025
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The tariffs are a tough pill to swallow for an industry that, in general, warmly embraced President Trump along the campaign trail.—
Colin Harper,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2025
Verb
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To paraphrase the historian Simon Schama, if Thatcher was the stern nanny who gave Brits their medicine, Diana was the loving mother who smothered them in tactile affection.—
Air Mail,
Air Mail,
10 May 2025
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Abandoning the arc allowed defenses to smother the paint, leaving then-rookies Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese burdened with double teams.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
10 May 2025
Verb
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Abscisic acid kick-starts a cascade of biochemical reactions that repress cell division and growth, while gibberellin has the opposite effect.—
Katarina Zimmer,
Smithsonian Magazine,
2 May 2025
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They can be removed, added and relocated to activate certain genes and repress others.—
Viviane Callier,
Quanta Magazine,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Cause of death: There are several causes of death because Ulric receives the nine lives of a cat: shot in the head, drowned, hanged, car crash, electrocuted, crossbow, stabbed, suffocated after burying himself alive. Sad or satisfying?—
Carrie Wittmer,
Vulture,
19 May 2025
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Those both feel a shade high to us, given how suffocating the Florida Panthers have been defensively and how mightily the Leafs stars have struggled.—
James Mirtle,
New York Times,
16 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stifle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stifle. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
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