How to Use stifle in a Sentence

stifle

verb
  • He was almost stifled by the smoke.
  • Students at the school are stifled by the pressure to score high on tests.
  • I wish we could go outside instead of stifling in this tiny room.
  • I had to stifle the desire to yell “Stop!”.
  • Too many regulations stifle innovation.
  • Who you've been taught to be may stifle your current true self.
    — Chicago Tribune, 4 Jan. 2023
  • If the temperature in your home is stifling, stay low to the ground.
    — Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 7 Aug. 2023
  • Jurors choked back tears and stifled gasps as Deputy Dist.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024
  • When we young guys came in for the afternoon shift, the clubhouse would be stifling.
    — Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 4 Dec. 2023
  • Chaos reigned in the hall; to stifle it, Hitler climbed onto a chair and fired a pistol into the air, then scurried to the stage.
    — Ellen Wexler, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Nov. 2023
  • His mother’s hands rose to cover much of her face, either to stifle tears or to hide them.
    — Elizabeth Lopatto, The Verge, 3 Nov. 2023
  • This would stifle exploration of the Red Planet until the late 2030s.
    — Christopher Wanjek, Scientific American, 14 Dec. 2023
  • Panicked and stuck, Frank stifled his pride and went to Soderbergh for advice.
    — Patrick Radden Keefe, The New Yorker, 25 Dec. 2023
  • Press freedom and human rights groups say the approach is stifling speech and freedom of the media.
    — Mo Abbas, NBC News, 11 Nov. 2023
  • Even though the Bills got the ball to start overtime, the Jets defense stifled Allen and the Buffalo offense, forcing them to punt.
    — Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 13 Sep. 2023
  • The Aztecs rely on a stifling defense to keep them in low-scoring games, but the offense is a mess overall.
    — Tanner McGrath, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2023
  • Oregon relied on defense and dominance in the paint to stifle Utah and win its 11th straight in the series.
    — oregonlive, 28 Jan. 2023
  • Montrose has a stifling defense of its own, with the Red Hawks allowing just 31.9 points/game.
    — Matt Schubert, The Denver Post, 29 Feb. 2024
  • That game was one of the lowest scoring of the season for the Longhorns as the Cyclones defense was able to stifle the deep ball shooting and forced 13 turnovers.
    — Chicago Tribune, 21 Feb. 2023
  • That stifled cry, which Izgil hears while waiting to complete yet another form, haunts the book.
    — Dan Keane, Washington Post, 2 Aug. 2023
  • The program has been denounced as a way for the government to stifle criticism.
    — Constant Méheut, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2024
  • And stifling for the minds of young people who need to learn how to look at things that are difficult and complicated.
    — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 9 Sep. 2023
  • For millions of people in South and Southeast Asia, the stifling heat began long before the summer.
    — Alan Yuhas, New York Times, 18 July 2023
  • On that stifling May evening, fissure 17 was blasting like a cannon.
    — Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 27 Mar. 2023
  • Farewell to the stifling unpleasantries of skinny jeans and the neoliberal past.
    — WSJ, 5 Dec. 2023
  • What to Consider The polyester fabric might feel stifling in very hot climates.
    — Nancy Einhart, Travel + Leisure, 13 Apr. 2023
  • Some have alleged that this was to take advantage of the stifling heat of July to keep the picketing rabble at home.
    — Todd Robinson, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Aug. 2023
  • Last month, Brazil was stifled by a dangerous heat wave that saw its heat index soar to 144 degrees.
    — Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2024
  • The veto is a blow to labor groups, who have long argued that the agreements hurt workers and stifle economic growth.
    — Maysoon Khan, Fortune, 25 Dec. 2023
  • If the temperature in your home is stifling, stay low to the ground.
    — Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 18 May 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stifle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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