1
as in strangles
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in suppresses
to refrain from openly showing or uttering
stifled a yawn
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in muffles
to deaden the sound of
he stifled a cough with his hand
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stifles
Micromanagement stifles creativity, motivation, and productivity.
—
Maria Ross, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
That stifles competition at home and, with China’s dependence on global consumption, raises concerns about dumping and deflation abroad.
—Diane Brady, Fortune, 14 May 2026
Balance the state budget and tackle affordability while working with cities to promote small businesses to hire more by creating a business friendly environment such as cutting taxes and cutting red tape that stifles growth.
—Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
Conversely, destructive energy hinders performance, breeds resentment, and stifles innovation.
—Rebecca Ahmed, Big Think, 22 Apr. 2026
Overregulation stifles business, regardless of industry.
—John Cleveland, Boston Herald, 7 Apr. 2026
Critics say that trademarking the name of a common business model stifles the still-nascent heirloom and specialty beans market — a growing community of companies, farmers and influencers trying to increase consumption of beans, one of the most climate- and health-friendly foods around.
—Tara Duggan, San Francisco Chronicle, 2 Apr. 2026
Nothing stifles a good time like being stressed about what is going on at home without any way to intervene.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 10 Mar. 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
Maria Ross, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
That stifles competition at home and, with China’s dependence on global consumption, raises concerns about dumping and deflation abroad.
—Diane Brady, Fortune, 14 May 2026
Balance the state budget and tackle affordability while working with cities to promote small businesses to hire more by creating a business friendly environment such as cutting taxes and cutting red tape that stifles growth.
—Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
Conversely, destructive energy hinders performance, breeds resentment, and stifles innovation.
—Rebecca Ahmed, Big Think, 22 Apr. 2026
Overregulation stifles business, regardless of industry.
—John Cleveland, Boston Herald, 7 Apr. 2026
Critics say that trademarking the name of a common business model stifles the still-nascent heirloom and specialty beans market — a growing community of companies, farmers and influencers trying to increase consumption of beans, one of the most climate- and health-friendly foods around.
—Tara Duggan, San Francisco Chronicle, 2 Apr. 2026
Nothing stifles a good time like being stressed about what is going on at home without any way to intervene.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 10 Mar. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stifles
Verb
-
Nate comes back to life and strangles Cassie in a dark green Bottega Veneta suit, then Maddy saves her.—
Savannah Walsh,
Vanity Fair,
29 May 2026
-
Over-regulation strangles the economy!—
Teri Sforza,
Oc Register,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Cycle syncing also doesn’t translate cleanly for women on hormonal birth control, which suppresses the natural cycle, or for those in perimenopause, when phases become irregular.—
Allison Palmer,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 June 2026
-
Warm water is pushed eastward and suppresses colder water from rising to the surface.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
Although the snow sometimes muffles the thunder, the lightning can be seen, said meteorologist Grant Gilmore, formerly of WFMY-TV in Greensboro, North Carolina.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
25 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Not the one who chokes in the playoffs.—
Geoff Clark OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
-
Democratic lawmakers aren’t particularly sympathetic to the industry, pointing to reports of soaring profits for oil companies as the war chokes consumers around the world.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Dark wood furniture swallows light and takes up floor space in hallways.—
Shagun Khare,
The Spruce,
7 June 2026
-
Infection can happen when someone accidentally swallows contaminated water from pools, splashpads, lakes, or rivers.—
Justin Laube,
EverydayHealth.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
But needy, possessive Nikki smothers Bear, and what plays out is a horrifying tale of obsessive love gone wrong — sour, curdled and violent.—
Katie Walsh,
Twin Cities,
23 May 2026
-
Carson smothers it over a crisp and shattering tortilla with tart pickled jalapeño, silky avocado crema and a blizzard of cotija cheese.—
Louisa Kung Liu Chu,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Typically, bees stop laying eggs during the winter, or at least slow down activity, which represses mite activity.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
23 May 2026
-
The portrait of a woman who represses and conceals a rape struck a chord as the #MeToo movement took off and put Trobisch on the map.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The tension suffocates as He-Man reaches for his Power Sword, but Skeletor isn't backing down here either.—
Sergio Pereira,
Space.com,
3 June 2026
-
More than the page itself, the routine summons the part of his conscience that survives on muscle memory and suffocates uncertainty.—
Joel Lorenzi,
New York Times,
23 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stifles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stifles. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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