stifle

verb

ˈstī-fəl How to pronounce stifle (audio)
Definition of stiflenext
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

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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
3
as in to muffle
to deaden the sound of he stifled a cough with his hand

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of stifle Likewise, inventories of unsold wine have stifled any sense of buying urgency. — Paul Caputo, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 In the early afternoon, a roar ripped through the stifling Mississippi heat, as dozens of motorcycles leading the funeral procession rumbled into the church parking lot. — Bracey Harris, NBC news, 28 June 2026 Thousands of schools have been closed for days on end, and students are taking their exams in stifling classrooms. — Henry Grabar, The Atlantic, 27 June 2026 That’s where Pantelas comes in, relishing opportunities to stifle and punish opponents. — Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 27 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for stifle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stifle
  1. strangle
  2. suppress
  3. muffle
  4. choke
  5. swallow
  6. smother
  7. repress
  8. suffocate
Verb
  • The government’s monthslong internet shutdown also strangled parts of the economy – especially those with foreign clients – that relied on the world wide web.
    — Frederik Pleitgen, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
  • Martin beat, strangled and raped the woman after offering her a ride from a bus stop near Northwest 196th Street and 27th Avenue, prosecutors say.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 10 July 2026
Definition of strangle
Verb
  • Record-setting heat is suspected in 25 deaths from the Deep South to the Midwest to the East Coast, authorities said, with the temperature highs also suppressing some Fourth of July celebrations.
    — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 5 July 2026
  • When coated onto a polypropylene separator with graphene, the material formed a thin interfacial layer that readily absorbed electrolyte while suppressing polysulfide migration.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 3 July 2026
Definition of suppress
Verb
  • Plus, darker tones help muffle visual clutter, creating a calming mood that feels loads richer than your budget might suggest.
    — Marisa Suzanne Martin, The Spruce, 8 July 2026
  • But the lack of competitive consequences for floundering clubs does very little to muffle those pushing for pro/rel.
    — Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
Definition of muffle
Verb
  • This practice carries risks, such as choking and aspiration, or food entering the airway.
    — Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • Historically, modest fires every seven to 20 years kept forests from being overgrown and choked with highly flammable dead wood and brush, Williams said.
    — Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 3 July 2026
Definition of choke
Verb
  • Symptoms of infant botulism include constipation, a floppy neck and trouble swallowing, the CDC says.
    — Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 8 July 2026
  • In a darkly comedic twist, Beadie changes her mind after swallowing a lethal dose, and Jessa frantically calls the paramedics to save her life.
    — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 7 July 2026
Definition of swallow
Verb
  • On back-tob-back possessions, Lendeborg combined with Will Richard to smother one Spur attempt at the rim, and then covered for a botched defensive play by Graham Ike by blocking Miles Kelly’s attempt from seven feet away.
    — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 6 July 2026
  • Yassine Bounou had to deal with a couple of spicy crosses and made one really good save to smother a Tani Oluwaseyi chance.
    — Carl Anka, New York Times, 4 July 2026
Definition of smother
Verb
  • Normally, this modifier gene suppresses the creation of a second kind of hemoglobin, typically made only during fetal development; repressing the gene prompts cells to start making the fetal form of hemoglobin again, which acts as a backup.
    — Roxanne Khamsi, The Atlantic, 7 July 2026
  • They’re infuriated with a military that turned out to repress civilian protests in recent years, but appeared slow to mobilize in support of earthquake victims this week.
    — Tibisay Zea, Christian Science Monitor, 3 July 2026
Definition of repress
Verb
  • Prosecutors allege Shaw suffocated the children around May 1, 2025.
    — Kayna Whitworth, ABC News, 8 July 2026
  • The bull will suffocate under the weight of all that new paper.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 8 July 2026
Definition of suffocate

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stiffs
stifle
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Cite this Entry

“Stifle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stifle. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of stifle for Spanish Speakers

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