Synonyms of stifling

stifling 1 of 2

adjective

as in close

lacking fresh air

the lecture hall was stifling until we opened several windows

Synonyms & Similar Words

• close
• suffocating
• stuffy
• breathless
• thick
• oppressive
• heavy
• airless
• unventilated
• fuggy

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• breezy
• airy
• refreshing
• sweet
• bracing
• reviving
• brisk
• restorative
• unstuffy
• invigorating
• ventilated
• refreshed

stifling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of stifle

1

as in strangling

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

• strangling
• choking
• suffocating
• smothering
• drowning
• destroying
• asphyxiating
• throttling
• slaying
• garroting
• dispatching
• felling
• doing in
• croaking

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• breathing
• inhaling
• inspiring
• expiring
• exhaling
• reviving
• resuscitating

2

as in suppressing

to refrain from openly showing or uttering

stifled a yawn

Synonyms & Similar Words

• suppressing
• swallowing
• repressing
• controlling
• smothering
• strangling
• managing
• choking (back)
• containing
• holding back
• submerging
• sinking
• pocketing
• curbing
• governing
• quelling
• quashing
• checking
• muffling
• bridling
• squelching
• bottling up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• expressing
• venting
• releasing
• taking out
• unleashing
• loosing

3

as in muffling

to deaden the sound of

he stifled a cough with his hand

Synonyms & Similar Words

• muffling
• muting
• insulating
• softening
• padding
• mellowing
• baffling
• toning (down)
• smothering
• dampening
• subduing
• soundproofing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• increasing
• deepening
• enhancing
• strengthening
• unmuffling
• heightening
• amplifying
• boosting
• magnifying
• stepping up

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of stifling

Adjective

For all the deserved talk about the Knicks’ dynamic offense, the defense has been far more stifling than their reputation suggests. — Fred Katz, New York Times, 15 May 2026

Her mother, who had a staid upbringing in California, came to New York in the early sixties looking for someplace more diverse and less stifling. — Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 2 Apr. 2026

Verb

The senator, who has introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at addressing AI safety risks, stressed that any new regulation should be targeted and sensitive to concerns about stifling global competitiveness. — Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2026

Trapped together in the heavy, stifling isolation of the summer heat, the siblings’ bond begins to shift into something unsettling and difficult to define. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 14 Sep. 2026

After that, the Lake Nona defense cranked up the heat – pressuring both Cruz James and Joe Aicher and stifling running back Jaelyn Powell for the rest of the game. — Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Sep. 2026

On paper, this sounds great, as being untethered from the restraints and stifling confines of physical cords frees you up to live a more fulfilled digital life. — William Jones, jsonline.com, 10 Sep. 2026

Pathogens of this nature invade the roots and vascular system of their host, stifling the ability of water and essential nutrients to travel throughout the plant. — Emily Leahy, Hartford Courant, 7 Sep. 2026

In Foam, Zambreno has further figured out how to express love for art amidst the often-stifling pressures of daily life as a perpetual adjunct, parent, and renter with no financial safety net. — Catherine G. Wagley, ARTnews.com, 4 Sep. 2026

The Democratic governor has acknowledged the challenge of adopting regulations that protect the public without going too far and potentially stifling the technology industry’s growth, which brings critical revenue to the state budget. — Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026

On Monday, facing the stifling defense of the second-place Golden State Valkyries, Miles shot three of twelve from the field and gave up four turnovers. — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026