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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stifle
Padilla’s physical comedy shifted the sketch into a different stratosphere; Marshall and Rodrigo barely stifled their laughter as Beverly tried to wrestle the cardigan onto Duncan’s chest.
—
Paula Mejía, The Atlantic, 3 May 2026
Jerar Encarnacion stifled a fifth-inning rally with a double-play groundout, after Rafael Devers reached on a leadoff single and took third on a Jung Hoo Lee single.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 2 May 2026
Ultimately, she was exiled to the remote town of Brandfort, in the Free State, in a harsh attempt to stifle her influence and activism.
—Kate Bartlett, NPR, 2 May 2026
The importance of the occasion could easily have become stifling.
—Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for stifle
Paula Mejía, The Atlantic, 3 May 2026
Jerar Encarnacion stifled a fifth-inning rally with a double-play groundout, after Rafael Devers reached on a leadoff single and took third on a Jung Hoo Lee single.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 2 May 2026
Ultimately, she was exiled to the remote town of Brandfort, in the Free State, in a harsh attempt to stifle her influence and activism.
—Kate Bartlett, NPR, 2 May 2026
The importance of the occasion could easily have become stifling.
—Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for stifle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stifle
Verb
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An autopsy determined the woman had been strangled and her death was ruled a homicide.—
Todd Feurer,
CBS News,
1 May 2026
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Since arriving on the scene almost a decade ago, the trio have presented themselves as firebrands, ready to stick it to an establishment seeking to strangle the last remnants of 20th century Irish republicanism.—
Dean Van Nguyen,
Pitchfork,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Fungicides, for instance, are used to suppress disease-causing pathogens like blights and leaf spots, but might also impact beneficial microbes that live in flowers.—
Miri Talabac,
Baltimore Sun,
28 Apr. 2026
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Researchers from the University of Bristol in England and the University at Buffalo in New York found that people actively trying to suppress food cravings were more likely to spend time watching indulgent food content online — yet ended up eating less of it afterward.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Soundcore Outdoor Speaker Deal The Soundcore Boom 2 is the ultimate vibe enforcer for those who refuse to let the outdoors muffle their soundtrack.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
21 Apr. 2026
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He’s perched on the second floor above the courtyard, a few bustling parties muffled in the background.—
Nicole Letts,
Southern Living,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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These commuter patterns mean that every weekday, for three hours in the morning and another three hours in the evening, Los Angeles is choked by gridlock.—
Oren Peleg,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
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Not the one who chokes in the playoffs.—
Geoff Clark OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
Verb
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Jo-Ellen will still be on this show when the polar ice caps swallow most of the state.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
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On petite frames, these hit a little lower on the thigh, nailing this season’s Bermuda shorts trend without swallowing shorter legs.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Logan Stankoven scored twice to continue his postseason tear and the Carolina Hurricanes smothered the Philadelphia Flyers in a 3-0 victory Saturday night to open the second-round series.—
Frederick Sutton Sinclair,
CBS News,
3 May 2026
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Then there is the matter of which stories receive oxygen and which ones are smothered with a decorative pillow.—
Larry Clifton,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 May 2026
Verb
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Even before the war began, hardship and inflation provoked nationwide protests that were brutally repressed.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
28 Apr. 2026
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Additionally, many prominent figures of the Russian opposition are in exile as they have been repressed by the Russian government.—
Mark Temnycky,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Buffalo’s forecheck was suffocating.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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The Broncos went 15-4 last year, testing the expiration dates on miracle finishes, while suffocating opponents with a relentless defense.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stifle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stifle. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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