1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

stifled 1 of 2

adjective

as in suppressed

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

stifled

2 of 2

verb

past tense of stifle
1
as in strangled
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in swallowed
to refrain from openly showing or uttering stifled a yawn

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in muffled
to deaden the sound of he stifled a cough with his hand

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 stifled
Adjective
Literature, in his view, was a susurrus of stifled screams, a missive from the netherworld of the collective imaginary. — Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
Verb
The pipeline offered a way for Saudi Arabia to shift exports to the Red Sea and avoid the Persian Gulf’s Strait of Hormuz, where Iranian attacks have stifled the movement of oil tankers. — Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026 The developments further strain Saudi Arabia's effort to get its oil to market while avoiding the Strait of Hormuz, the choke point at the mouth of the Persian Gulf where Iranian attacks have stifled shipping. — ABC News, 14 Sep. 2026 The East-West Pipeline, which runs across the kingdom, is key to Saudi Arabia's strategy of shifting its oil exports to the Red Sea to avoid the Persian Gulf's Strait of Hormuz, where Iranian attacks have stifled shipping. — Alex Sundby, CBS News, 14 Sep. 2026 Las Vegas fielded the NFL’s worst offensive line a season ago, allowing a league-high 64 sacks, which stifled its passing attack. — Sam Warren, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2026 Mets right-handed starter Christian Scott stifled the Giants hitters early on, not allowing a hit until Bryce Eldridge lined a single to right in the fourth inning. — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 6 Sep. 2026 Hiring has been stifled in part by high uncertainty, high interest rates, high inflation and volatile policy shifts and geopolitical developments. — Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026 This debate has been fiercely stifled by current politicians, including Sanae Takaichi—who is, ironically, the first female prime minister in Japanese history. — Séraphine Roger, Vanity Fair, 26 Aug. 2026 Washington also seemed to open up the playbook, with downfield passing concepts that confused Miami defensive backs and pressure packages that stifled the Dolphins offensive line. — David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stifled
  1. suppressed
  2. strangled
  3. swallowed
  4. muffled
  5. repressed
  6. choked
  7. muted
  8. silenced
Adjective
  • General Manager Ken Holland hinted at potentially being done after trading center Phillip Danault for a draft pick in December and acquiring Panarin at a suppressed price in February, though he has been known to under-promise often and, sometimes, over-deliver.
    — Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 3 Mar. 2026
  • Supervising sound editor Alastair Sirkett told IndieWire that Peter Claffey’s big, former-rugby-player frame really helps that moment sing with suppressed panic.
    — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 18 Feb. 2026
Definition of suppressed
Verb
  • In the first assault, Escudero locked a 16-year-old coworker in his car, then strangled, struck and raped her, according to the release.
    — Harllie Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 25 Sep. 2026
  • While on the phone with 911, Patrick entered the home and found that Lindsay had strangled the children.
    — Liam Quinn, PEOPLE, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of strangled
Verb
  • Between a courier caught in the middle of a zombie virus outbreak and a scuba diver swallowed whole by a sperm whale, both films put Abrams’ respective lead characters, Bryan and Jay, through uniquely harrowing one-man crucibles.
    — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2026
  • The 30-piece toy sets include 2-inch figures that contain magnets in the hands and feet, which can be detached and swallowed.
    — Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of swallowed
Verb
  • The generational distance that has muffled the pain of 2001 is also seen in California’s varied educational approach.
    — Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Things between David and the other characters are awkward and muffled rather than climactic.
    — Emma Alpern, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of muffled
Adjective
  • While Calvinism, weaving, deeply repressed sexuality, and passages in Scottish Gaelic don’t exactly sound like the ingredient list for a riot, Stuart builds a rich universe from these seemingly spartan forms.
    — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Pavese situated the story of his time in much longer cycles than the ventennio of Fascism, which, as contemporary history attests, wasn’t so much defeated as repressed.
    — Max Norman, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of repressed
Verb
  • Wartime attacks on cargo vessels in the Black Sea have choked that supply route.
    — HANNA ARHIROVA, Arkansas Online, 26 Sep. 2026
  • However, wartime attacks on cargo vessels in the Black Sea have choked that supply route, raising fears of shortages.
    — Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of choked
Verb
  • Experts have kept expectations muted for a summit likely to yield few major deliverables, even as the leaders' first meeting carries real geopolitical risk.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Wall Street does not take Yom Kippur off, technically, but the usual flow of reactions Monday was muted due to the holiday.
    — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of muted
Adjective
  • When monitoring wanes and enforcement fades, workers pay the price first in wages and safety, then in silenced voices and must choose between an empty stomach and their rights.
    — Tharo Khun, Sourcing Journal, 8 Jan. 2026
Definition of silenced

Browse Nearby Words

stifle
stifled
stifles
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stifled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stifled. Accessed 26 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 25
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of the words cracker fly and sale arranged in a triangle with the word fire in the middle
Triple Play Quiz Find the word that pairs with each of the three g...
See All