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
In the winning locker room, Condon addressed a late flare-up between Broome and a few Gators that quickly was stifled by officials.
—
Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2025
How else have Trump's policies stifled U.S. EV growth?
—Time, 4 Apr. 2025
The Trump administration also is stifling efforts to counter the impacts of climate change, leaving the nation more vulnerable to extreme weather.
—Michael Hawthorne, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2025
TikTok and its ilk are said to be harming mental health, stifling creativity, eroding privacy, fueling disinformation, undermining national security, and so on.
—Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stifle
Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2025
How else have Trump's policies stifled U.S. EV growth?
—Time, 4 Apr. 2025
The Trump administration also is stifling efforts to counter the impacts of climate change, leaving the nation more vulnerable to extreme weather.
—Michael Hawthorne, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2025
TikTok and its ilk are said to be harming mental health, stifling creativity, eroding privacy, fueling disinformation, undermining national security, and so on.
—Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stifle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stifle
Verb
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Earlier this year, audio was released from 2022, where Majors admitted to having strangled his partner at the time.—
DeMicia Inman,
VIBE.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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Holder was found strangled and stabbed in the throat at a coin laundry, just eight months before Acosta was killed.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
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To tell the Blue Devils, basically, not to suppress their emotions.—
Brendan Marks,
New York Times,
27 Mar. 2025
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Older, post-menopausal women are especially susceptible, since lower estrogen levels can lead to decreased levels of beneficial bacteria that suppress infection-causing bacteria.—
Alice Park,
TIME,
25 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The blustery winds muffled the clank of wheels and thud of hooves.—
Andrew Lawler,
Smithsonian Magazine,
2 Apr. 2025
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Don’t: Rely on Just a Sleep Mask Instead: Use Reusable Ear Plugs, Too $29 at Amazon For anyone who needs silence to fall asleep, Young recommends packing a pair of ear plugs to muffle any distracting noises.—
Rylee Johnston,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Mar. 2025
Verb
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This hazard, hard plastic, and many other physical hazards such as metal and rocks/stones can cause illness or injury to the consumer, including laceration, cuts to the tongue or gum, perforation, occlusion (choking), typically occurring immediately or shortly after consumption.—
John W. Dean,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Apr. 2025
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The average age of first online exposure was 12 years of age and over half of respondents reported having watched pornography showing rape, choking, or pain.—
Krista Kafer,
Denver Post,
3 Apr. 2025
Verb
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While the brand courts a luxury buyer, the competitive nature of the segment makes a price increase of nearly $500 per month harder to swallow.—
Jackie Charniga,
USA Today,
8 Apr. 2025
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The internet found all this smoothie drama a little hard to swallow.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
7 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The oil will smother active and recently settled crawlers.—
Tim Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Apr. 2025
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Moving in too soon can smother the spark that initially brought you together.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
31 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Neither film mentions the pandemic, but both show how a circle of moneyed, urban sophisticates represses feelings about death and anxiety.—
Armond White,
National Review,
2 Apr. 2025
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The woman has almost completely repressed them, revisiting them only at the very end of her life.—
Ian Johnson,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
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According to prosecutors, Correa and others beat detainees with pipes, burned them with molten plastic and acid, shocked them with electricity and suffocated them with plastic bags.—
Gordon G. Chang,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Apr. 2025
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UConn suffocated a Gamecocks offense limited in options and carved up the defending champion’s aggressive defense.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stifle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stifle. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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