as in close
lacking fresh air
the lecture hall was stifling until we opened several windows
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in suppressing
to refrain from openly showing or uttering
stifled a yawn
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in muffling
to deaden the sound of
he stifled a cough with his hand
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of stifling
Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 2 Apr. 2026
Sarah Everett, The Spruce, 11 May 2026
Before Sunday’s game, the Charge had struggled to generate a ton of offense in general against a stifling Boston defense.
—Hailey Salvian, New York Times, 10 May 2026
And of course Mike Brown pulled Mitchell Robinson, who missed four straight free throws when the 76ers began intentionally fouling him in the first quarter, only to continue extending the lead despite the Sixers’ attempts at stifling his rotation.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 5 May 2026
Looking to the future of technology, state lawmakers granted final legislative approval on a key bill regulating artificial intelligence in an attempt to protect children and consumers without stifling one of the nation’s fastest-growing industries.
—Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 4 May 2026
Civil liberties groups countered that the arrests were aimed at stifling free speech, and the firing of the immigration court judges who ruled in Ozturk and Mahdawi’s favor was viewed by many court watchers as part of the administration’s ongoing efforts to reshape the immigration courts.
—Sean Emery, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
Trading the city’s stifling summer heat for the balmy sea air and clapboard cottages of Long Island’s most picturesque tip is an enduring tradition among New Yorkers.
—Sarah Wood González, Architectural Digest, 30 Apr. 2026
While some can be overbearingly hot, the hammam here is kept at the perfect temperature with just the right amount of steam, never stifling or claustrophobic.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Apr. 2026
Rudy Gobert followed his inspired Game 2 effort against Nikola Jokic by stifling the three-time MVP again on an ugly 7-for-26 shooting night, and the Timberwolves established a postseason franchise record by allowing the Nuggets just 11 points in the tone-setting first quarter.
—CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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
Birds eat and digest the seeds, then the plant grows in dense stands and blocks sunlight from reaching other young plants, overcrowding or stifling other species.
—Sarah Everett, The Spruce, 11 May 2026
Before Sunday’s game, the Charge had struggled to generate a ton of offense in general against a stifling Boston defense.
—Hailey Salvian, New York Times, 10 May 2026
And of course Mike Brown pulled Mitchell Robinson, who missed four straight free throws when the 76ers began intentionally fouling him in the first quarter, only to continue extending the lead despite the Sixers’ attempts at stifling his rotation.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 5 May 2026
Looking to the future of technology, state lawmakers granted final legislative approval on a key bill regulating artificial intelligence in an attempt to protect children and consumers without stifling one of the nation’s fastest-growing industries.
—Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 4 May 2026
Civil liberties groups countered that the arrests were aimed at stifling free speech, and the firing of the immigration court judges who ruled in Ozturk and Mahdawi’s favor was viewed by many court watchers as part of the administration’s ongoing efforts to reshape the immigration courts.
—Sean Emery, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
Trading the city’s stifling summer heat for the balmy sea air and clapboard cottages of Long Island’s most picturesque tip is an enduring tradition among New Yorkers.
—Sarah Wood González, Architectural Digest, 30 Apr. 2026
While some can be overbearingly hot, the hammam here is kept at the perfect temperature with just the right amount of steam, never stifling or claustrophobic.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Apr. 2026
Rudy Gobert followed his inspired Game 2 effort against Nikola Jokic by stifling the three-time MVP again on an ugly 7-for-26 shooting night, and the Timberwolves established a postseason franchise record by allowing the Nuggets just 11 points in the tone-setting first quarter.
—CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stifling
Adjective
-
Sources close to Canvot, speaking anonymously to protect relationships, have told The Athletic that the message from Glasner after that error was simple.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
-
López was one of the fiercest critics of then-Mayor Fúnez, a supporter of the mine and close ally of Honduras’ former president, Xiomara Castro.—
Marlon González,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Luis Benitez-Gonzalez, a 26-year-old previously deported Mexican national, is accused of strangling two women in the area of Austin, Texas, in 2018 and 2024.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
-
Gaff allegedly assaulted and raped Vesey before fatally strangling her.—
Nadine El-Bawab,
ABC News,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Their basic antitrust allegation was that NCAA member schools fixed prices by limiting the number of slots for coach employees, thus suppressing opportunities and wages.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
15 May 2026
-
Renovations of the House chamber will force members to meet at the Old State Capitol, where, decades ago, Mississippi lawmakers passed Jim Crow laws suppressing Black voting.—
Jack Brook,
Chicago Tribune,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
Acidification reduces the pH of seawater, which also diminishes sound absorption, so the stain of ship’s engine noise spreads further, muffling the songs of humpbacks and the codas of sperm whales.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The timeless linen is backed with a white blackout liner to block out as much light as possible without adding unnecessary bulk to your window frames while muffling the sound from your street.—
Nashia Baker,
Architectural Digest,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Georgia will surely be ready and focused on its home floor following two consecutive losses, but Bucky Ball and its suffocating style from a fresh A&M team will be too much for the Bulldogs.—
Tony Catalina,
Austin American Statesman,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Justin Edmonds / Getty Images Darnold, Mike Macdonald and a suffocating defense have led the Seahawks to the big stage for the fourth time in franchise history.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The audio recording captured the sounds of the ensuing attack, including banging, screaming, crying and choking.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
6 May 2026
-
The mom of four explained that her children were eating dinner when the pre-teen started choking on a piece of food.—
Zoey Lyttle,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Symptoms of salmonella poisoning Symptoms of salmonella poisoning usually start six hours to six days after swallowing the bacteria.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
-
The brand's Bella stretch jeans are equally suitable, designed to fit without swallowing small frames.—
Tanya Sharma,
PEOPLE,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
The service Service here is friendly and not stuffy.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 May 2026
-
The sound-muffling fabrics, carpets, ceiling tiles, tablecloths and rugs that used to decorate restaurants are deemed too stuffy these days, and even upholstered booths are being replaced by more barebones tables — and lots of them, close together.—
Allyson Reedy,
Denver Post,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stifling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stifling. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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