1
as in to strangle
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 to suppress
to refrain from openly showing or uttering
stifled a yawn
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in close
lacking fresh air
the lecture hall was stifling until we opened several windows
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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stifle
Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
The space was stifling in the Louisiana heat, so fans were blowing for everyone inside.
—Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2025
Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2025
The air was clammy and stifling.
—Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stifle
Verb
Between hugs and stifled tears, players walked up to sift through them.
—Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
The space was stifling in the Louisiana heat, so fans were blowing for everyone inside.
—Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2025
Verb
Cocoa and coffee prices, which have been pushed higher by climate change stifling supply, now face further pressures from tariffs.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2025
The air was clammy and stifling.
—Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stifle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stifle
Adjective
-
This was a decisive turn away from Hasina’s India-first posture and toward closer alignment with Beijing.—
MUHIB RAHMAN,
Foreign Affairs,
12 Nov. 2025
-
Highly acidic foods like pickles and tomatoes will react with the can after an extended period of time, causing both taste and texture changes so pay particularly close attention to expiration dates on these items.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
11 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Doors and windows were locked, producing a suffocating effect in the hot weather.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Oct. 2025
-
For Perrie Edwards, the studio can be both a sanctuary and a suffocating cocoon.—
Sophie Williams,
Billboard,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Create an elevated space that's anything but stuffy with these decorating and design ideas.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Nov. 2025
-
When the air turns crisp in fall and winter, the dryness indoors can sneak up on you — and so can flaky skin, a scratchy throat, and stuffy sinuses (not to mention allergens).—
Jeaneen Russell,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Intentional or not, Sano Masaya’s voice performance in the lead role is sometimes a bit too breathless and whimsical for the material at hand.—
Kambole Campbell,
IndieWire,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Left to die, breathless and alone, Invisigal chokes while Robert screams from the other end of the comms.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stifle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stifle. Accessed 2 Dec. 2025.
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