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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stifle
Proponents of alternative insurance argue that stifling these more affordable options will just increase the ranks of those without any coverage.
—
Sarah Kwon, CBS News, 20 May 2026
The open-source software movement, partly a political project to protect the freedom to tinker and prevent corporate oligarchies from stifling innovation, would become a cornerstone of the technology industry.
—Jonathan Weber, Fortune, 19 May 2026
But other council members pushed back, saying the new rules would stifle the department from posting information about the arrest of potentially dangerous suspects living in Aurora neighborhoods.
—John Aguilar, Denver Post, 19 May 2026
If the temperature in your home is stifling, stay low to the ground.
—Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for stifle
Sarah Kwon, CBS News, 20 May 2026
The open-source software movement, partly a political project to protect the freedom to tinker and prevent corporate oligarchies from stifling innovation, would become a cornerstone of the technology industry.
—Jonathan Weber, Fortune, 19 May 2026
But other council members pushed back, saying the new rules would stifle the department from posting information about the arrest of potentially dangerous suspects living in Aurora neighborhoods.
—John Aguilar, Denver Post, 19 May 2026
If the temperature in your home is stifling, stay low to the ground.
—Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for stifle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stifle
Verb
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Caballero, 78, was strangled with a phone cord in January 2021.—
Jesse Zanger,
CBS News,
20 May 2026
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Medical examiners later determined that Broussard had been strangled to death with a dog leash.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
20 May 2026
Verb
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Kyle Schwarber stands as a stunning exception to the San Diego ballpark’s home-run suppressing history.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 May 2026
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Like seawater, ice exerts pressure on the Earth’s crust, suppressing volcanic activity.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
26 May 2026
Verb
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Nolan's team and IMAX worked together to create a special housing for the camera to muffle the sound of its operation.—
Will Croxton,
CBS News,
17 May 2026
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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
Verb
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Hilton has raised crucial issues about Newsom’s overspending, low state K-12 test scores, high taxes choking the middle class, high gas prices and the endemic housing and homelessness crises.—
John Seiler,
Oc Register,
29 May 2026
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As discomforting as that sounds, there is no proof the 7-foot, 9-inch dolphin choked to death, according to Lauren Rust, executive director of the Lowcountry Marine Mammal Network and South Carolina Marine Mammal Stranding Coordinator.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
29 May 2026
Verb
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But that promise was swallowed by ambition.—
Matthew Scogin,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2026
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Sinkhole at LaGuardia swallows plans One of only two runways at New York’s bustling LaGuardia Airport remains closed as fallout from Wednesday’s discovery of a sinkhole on the pavement spills into the weekend.—
Holly Yan,
CNN Money,
22 May 2026
Verb
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But needy, possessive Nikki smothers Bear, and what plays out is a horrifying tale of obsessive love gone wrong — sour, curdled and violent.—
Katie Walsh,
Twin Cities,
23 May 2026
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The Tigers’ defense was also smothering all game.—
Erik Anderson,
Boston Herald,
18 May 2026
Verb
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Either way, something is repressed in Eleanor that is not with Theodora.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 May 2026
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Typically, bees stop laying eggs during the winter, or at least slow down activity, which represses mite activity.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
23 May 2026
Verb
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That—and the high temperatures—led to low oxygen levels in the water, suffocating and killing fish across a 20-mile stretch.—
Monique John,
CBS News,
26 May 2026
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Needless to say, regulations are suffocating, as are obstacles to getting anything done commercially.—
Steve Forbes,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stifle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stifle. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
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