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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in suppressing
to refrain from openly showing or uttering
stifled a yawn
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in muffling
to deaden the sound of
he stifled a cough with his hand
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stifling
Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 2 Apr. 2026
Doug Feinberg, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
Ta’Niya Latson scored 16 and Agot Makeer added 14 points and South Carolina played stifling defense to beat Connecticut 62-48 on Friday night, ending the Huskies’ 54-game winning streak and advancing to the women’s NCAA tournament championship game.
—Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2026
Latson scored 16 and Agot Makeer added 14 points and South Carolina played stifling defense to beat UConn 62-48 on Friday night, ending the Huskies' 54-game winning streak and advancing to the women's NCAA Tournament championship game.
—CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
Victor Wembanyama is the face of the Spurs’ stifling defense, but the Defensive Player of the Year favorite isn’t holding up the fortress on his own.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2026
There are those, however, who do not see regulation as a stifling force.
—Francesca Cassidy, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026
From there, the house unfolds via a traditional footprint that somehow feels soft and inviting instead of stifling.
—Miriam Schwartz, Hartford Courant, 29 Mar. 2026
But doing the same rituals day in and day out can start to feel stale, even stifling.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 27 Mar. 2026
The time was very much right to make a debut album, but the pressure to do so also was stifling.
—Katie Bain, Billboard, 27 Mar. 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
The Gamecocks played stifling defense to knock off UConn 62-48 and end the defending champion Huskies’ 54-game winning streak in the Final Four on Friday night.
—Doug Feinberg, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
Ta’Niya Latson scored 16 and Agot Makeer added 14 points and South Carolina played stifling defense to beat Connecticut 62-48 on Friday night, ending the Huskies’ 54-game winning streak and advancing to the women’s NCAA tournament championship game.
—Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2026
Latson scored 16 and Agot Makeer added 14 points and South Carolina played stifling defense to beat UConn 62-48 on Friday night, ending the Huskies' 54-game winning streak and advancing to the women's NCAA Tournament championship game.
—CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
Victor Wembanyama is the face of the Spurs’ stifling defense, but the Defensive Player of the Year favorite isn’t holding up the fortress on his own.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2026
There are those, however, who do not see regulation as a stifling force.
—Francesca Cassidy, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026
From there, the house unfolds via a traditional footprint that somehow feels soft and inviting instead of stifling.
—Miriam Schwartz, Hartford Courant, 29 Mar. 2026
But doing the same rituals day in and day out can start to feel stale, even stifling.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 27 Mar. 2026
The time was very much right to make a debut album, but the pressure to do so also was stifling.
—Katie Bain, Billboard, 27 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stifling
Adjective
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King’s plans center around keeping close contact with constituents, revitalizing downtown and residential areas and advancing historic preservation and tourism efforts.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Offer to Saudi crown prince Epstein was introduced to Raafat Al-Sabbagh, a close advisor of Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, in 2016 by Norwegian diplomat Terje Rød-Larsen.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The emerging uproar could prove costly for Swalwell if his fundraising dries up, strangling his ability to run campaign ads, or if unions and other groups that endorsed his campaign begin to retract their decisions.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Horner, a former FedEx driver who abducted the child while delivering a package to her home, told a false story about hitting the little girl with his truck and then strangling her in a panic, Espinoza testified.—
Amy McDaniel,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Moss is low-maintenance, eco-friendly, and can thrive in various environments, benefiting gardens by controlling erosion and suppressing weeds.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Echinacea may interact with caffeine and immune-suppressing medications, though more research is needed to confirm this.—
Megan Nunn,
Verywell Health,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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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
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Ideal for bedrooms, nurseries, apartments with older doors, and homes with hardwood or tile floors, this $4 draft stopper can stop the chilly air from entering, while also muffling outside noises and blocking dust, pollen, and pests.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 Feb. 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
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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
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Skaggs, 27, snorted the pill and died in a Texas hotel room on July 1, 2019, choking on his own vomit.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Apr. 2026
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The thick and choking ash cloud covered the northern part of Colorado Springs after a wind shift.—
Michael Abeyta,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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With Brooklyn’s injury list still swallowing half the rotation and the draft lottery picture tightening by the day, Liddell used Tuesday night as a personal argument.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
8 Apr. 2026
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When development began on Company Retreat, the news was full of stories about venture-capital firms swallowing mom-and-pop shops.—
Angelina Mazza,
Vulture,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The vibe is romantic and historic but not stuffy, with a design scheme that integrates elements of Japanese design into its bedrooms with floor beds, paper lanterns, and minimalist details.—
Bailey Berg,
Architectural Digest,
8 Apr. 2026
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No formal, stuffy tuxedos here—just the coolest textured jacket thrown over a shirtdress and boots for the coolest, wear-anywhere outfit.—
Gena Kaufman,
InStyle,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stifling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stifling. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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