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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stifle
But Army-Navy’s defense proved too stifling.
—
Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
The effort to stifle a hard emotion almost always fails, and causes it to fester and breed.
—Daniel Smith, The Atlantic, 27 Feb. 2026
Sarr got things going by stifling LJ Cason’s drive, forcing a reset with Mara atop the key.
—Brendan Marks, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026
Some parents have no issue monitoring and restricting how kids are using social media, AI chat bots, and even texting apps to keep them safe, while others worry too much oversight is an invasion of privacy and stifles their child's ability to develop independence.
—Liz Regalia, Parents, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stifle
Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
The effort to stifle a hard emotion almost always fails, and causes it to fester and breed.
—Daniel Smith, The Atlantic, 27 Feb. 2026
Sarr got things going by stifling LJ Cason’s drive, forcing a reset with Mara atop the key.
—Brendan Marks, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026
Some parents have no issue monitoring and restricting how kids are using social media, AI chat bots, and even texting apps to keep them safe, while others worry too much oversight is an invasion of privacy and stifles their child's ability to develop independence.
—Liz Regalia, Parents, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stifle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stifle
Verb
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Police responded to the halfway house after Grayson missed multiple appointments later in the day and found that she had been strangled.—
Livi Stanford,
Hartford Courant,
8 Mar. 2026
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She had been strangled with a wire, which was still around her neck.—
Audrey Abrahams,
NBC news,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Bondi wants to suppress, or at least stall, state Bar investigations against them.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
10 Mar. 2026
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Which stories persist, which fade and which are actively suppressed are decisions increasingly made by private companies rather than public institutions.—
Arnaud Kurze,
The Conversation,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Taylor Logsdon, who lives close to the power plant and is part of a community group opposing the project, said the sound wall hasn’t done much to muffle the turbines or reassure neighbors.—
Bracey Harris,
NBC news,
26 Feb. 2026
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The heavy snow will muffle the sound -- or thunderclap -- so it can only be heard up to about three miles.—
February 22,
CBS News,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Iran may soon run out of drones, yet has other asymmetrical options – such as choking the Strait of Hormuz or plotting terror on foreign soil – that can irritate the US and disrupt peace.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
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Chan then forced Tay to drink rubbing alcohol and sealed his moth with duct tape — forcing him to choke on his own vomit — before burying him in the makeshift grave.—
Sean Emery,
Oc Register,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Bella Hadid, however, has been bucking this trend throughout her time in Paris and beyond, largely opting for denim that highlights her footwear rather than swallowing them up.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
7 Mar. 2026
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Phillipsburg declared a state of emergency last month when a sinkhole swallowed a dump truck.—
Nick Caloway,
CBS News,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Less than a mile away, the corps is planning to deepen and widen the shipping channel leading into Port Everglades, blasting through the reef line and dredging up sediment that could smother acres of surrounding coral, according to federal scientists.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Mar. 2026
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However, improving the soil in a lawn is more difficult because adding more than 1 inch of organic matter as a top-dressing can smother the grass.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In situations of more extreme mental health issues, teens may not have the tools to navigate difficult feelings and instead, repress and compartmentalize their feelings as a way to cope.—
Staff Author,
Parents,
9 Mar. 2026
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There’s an inherent troublemaking nature to him that can’t be repressed by the big Disney musical.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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During such executions, inmates breathe in pure nitrogen gas through a mask, eventually displacing all the oxygen in their body and suffocating them.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
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Anthony Edwards scored 34 points, but the Magic suffocated his supporting cast.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
8 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stifle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stifle. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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