stifle

verb

ˈstī-fəl How to pronounce stifle (audio)
Definition of stiflenext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to suppress
to refrain from openly showing or uttering stifled a yawn

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to muffle
to deaden the sound of he stifled a cough with his hand

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of stifle This debate has been fiercely stifled by current politicians, including Sanae Takaichi—who is, ironically, the first female prime minister in Japanese history. — Séraphine Roger, Vanity Fair, 26 Aug. 2026 The altitude also plays into the Broncos’ advantage as their defense stifles De’Von Achane and company. — Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026 Opponents, however, view this as unnecessary governmental overreach that could stifle rapid AI advancement. — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 The verdict against Lev Shlosberg, a senior member of the Yabloko party, was another step by the Kremlin to stifle dissent since Russia invaded its neighbor in February 2022. — CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stifle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stifle
  1. strangle
  2. suppress
  3. muffle
  4. choke
  5. swallow
  6. smother
  7. repress
  8. suffocate
Verb
  • Prosecutors allege Clancy planned the killings by sending her husband to pick up takeout food and medicine, then, while he was gone, strangled the children with exercise bands.
    — Melina Khan, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Her body was discovered by children and had stab wounds, severe head injuries and injuries consistent with strangling.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of strangle
Verb
  • This isn’t a matter of suppressing your emotions, which research has proven doesn't work.
    — Kevin Kruse, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • In one of the findings, bat houses — artificial roosts in urban environments, similar to nest boxes for birds — were doing their job helping to suppress pests on pecan farms in Texas.
    — Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of suppress
Verb
  • Buell tried to muffle the sound by putting her hands over her ears.
    — Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Now the sound was muffled from the hunters as the dogs passed around a canebrake wall bordered by a dark bayou.
    — Paul Schullery, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of muffle
Verb
  • Almost constant air raids in Kyiv have now reached their third day, choking the economy in the Ukrainian capital and severely disrupting civilian life more than 4½ years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of its neighbor.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Both victims were illegally choked to death by white police officers.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of choke
Verb
  • Popular media and Southern folklore frequently claimed that kudzu was swallowing 150,000 new acres every year and had overtaken anywhere from 7 to 9 million acres across the region.
    — The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 26 Aug. 2026
  • If your dog swallows these fibers, it can get caught up in the digestive tract like hair in plumbing and create a blockage.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of swallow
Verb
  • To smother the grass, begin by scalping the patch down to the dirt.
    — SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 23 Aug. 2026
  • The scrutiny at the club is like no other, the media attention can be smothering and the level expected from fans is so high.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of smother
Verb
  • Tottenham, repressed for so long in their spending and ambition, are suddenly flashing the cash like a slot machine, dropping £237million ($324m) already.
    — Adam Crafton, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • And Washington’s campaign against terrorism encouraged its allies to embrace intrusive forms of surveillance and repress potential opposition in the name of security.
    — MARC LYNCH, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of repress
Verb
  • King managed to take the suffocating history of the Indian — the treaties, the massacres, the Hollywood caricatures — and turn it into something conversational, even funny.
    — Tommy Orange, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Similar in stature to Riq Woolen, Jones has a rare 6-4 frame for a cornerback, with the length and speed to suffocate receivers.
    — Dane Brugler, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of suffocate

Browse Nearby Words

stiffs
stifle
stifled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stifle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stifle. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of dissonant

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All