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
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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
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
Still, critics caution that the collaboration between OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank could form a cartel that stifles innovation while inflating costs.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 24 Feb. 2026
Avoid heavy garden soil, which compacts easily and stifles bulb growth.
—Emily Hayes, Martha Stewart, 6 Feb. 2026
Administrative red tape stifles growth Beyond direct financial costs, small business owners are struggling with a sudden increase in bureaucratic red tape.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 29 Dec. 2025
Willa’s attempt to reclaim routine leads her to a school that stifles her curiosity — forcing her to choose between conformity and her own voice.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 1 Dec. 2025
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
Still, critics caution that the collaboration between OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank could form a cartel that stifles innovation while inflating costs.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 24 Feb. 2026
Avoid heavy garden soil, which compacts easily and stifles bulb growth.
—Emily Hayes, Martha Stewart, 6 Feb. 2026
Administrative red tape stifles growth Beyond direct financial costs, small business owners are struggling with a sudden increase in bureaucratic red tape.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 29 Dec. 2025
Willa’s attempt to reclaim routine leads her to a school that stifles her curiosity — forcing her to choose between conformity and her own voice.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 1 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stifles
Verb
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As Iran strangles the Strait of Hormuz, countries have scrambled for alternative routes.—
Samy Magdy,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2026
-
As Grace looks on in horror, her soon-to-be husband strangles Ursula and snaps her neck.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Mulch helps retain soil moisture, suppresses weeds, and regulates soil temperature, says Putnam.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Its response is an intelligent chassis control system that actively suppresses instability during towing.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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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
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Jasmine almost chokes on her corn dog when that comes out of Janet’s mouth.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
9 Apr. 2026
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Then Leaphorn appears, knocks her down, and chokes her.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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What if Kirby finally swallows something too big?—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
7 Apr. 2026
-
In Charlie Chaplin’s 1936 film Modern Times, a factory worker struggles to keep pace with an ever-accelerating assembly line—until the machine swallows him whole.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Once in flowerbeds and vegetable gardens, the plant depletes potassium necessary for plant health and smothers low-growing plants.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
16 Apr. 2026
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The pieces knit together to form a cast iron surface that sheds water, smothers weeds and holds up for a long time.—
Paul Cappiello,
Louisville Courier Journal,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
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Trying to eliminate one side inevitably represses part of our own nature.—
Richard P. Weigand,
Rolling Stone,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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What did work in one of the older movies, though, was the Oxygen Destroyer device, which effectively suffocates the creature.—
Sergio Pereira,
Space.com,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Complexity is exactly what suffocates scale.—
May Habib,
Fortune,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stifles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stifles. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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