stifle

1 of 2

verb

sti·​fle ˈstī-fəl How to pronounce stifle (audio)
stifled; stifling ˈstī-f(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce stifle (audio)

transitive verb

1
a
: to withhold from circulation or expression
stifled our anger
b
: to cut off (the voice, the breath, etc.)
2
a(1)
: muffle
(2)
b
: to kill by depriving of oxygen : suffocate

intransitive verb

: to be or become unable to breathe easily
stifling in the heat
stifler noun
stiflingly adverb

stifle

2 of 2

noun

: the joint next above the hock in the hind leg of a quadruped (such as a horse or dog) corresponding to the human knee see horse illustration

Examples of stifle in a Sentence

Verb trying to stifle a cry I had to stifle the desire to yell “Stop!”. Students at the school are stifled by the pressure to score high on tests. Too many regulations stifle innovation. something that stifles the growth of the plant I wish we could go outside instead of stifling in this tiny room. He was almost stifled by the smoke.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
What is the Google hearing about? U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta ruled in August that Google has illegally exploited its dominance to squash competition and stifle innovation. Patrick Maguire, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2025 In 2020, the Justice Department, joined by a group of states, accused Google of illegally stifling competition by paying the makers of web browsers and phones to set Google as their default search engine. John Ruwitch, NPR, 20 Apr. 2025 The court determined that Google abused its dominance by tying its publisher ad server and ad exchange, thereby stifling competition and maintaining over 90% market share in those areas. Charlie Fink, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025 Fred seems to stifle his ambition, content to be a cog in the industry machine rather than somebody turning the wheels. Mark Athitakis, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stifle

Word History

Etymology

Verb

alteration of Middle English stuflen

Noun

Middle English

First Known Use

Verb

1513, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2b

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stifle was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stifle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stifle. Accessed 26 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

stifle

verb
sti·​fle
ˈstī-fəl
stifled; stifling
-f(ə-)liŋ
1
: to kill by depriving of or die from lack of oxygen or air : smother
2
: to keep in check by deliberate effort : repress
trying to stifle a sneeze
stiflingly
-f(ə-)liŋ-lē
adverb

Medical Definition

stifle

noun
sti·​fle ˈstī-fəl How to pronounce stifle (audio)
: the joint next above the hock in the hind leg of a quadruped (as a horse) corresponding to the knee in humans

More from Merriam-Webster on stifle

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