1
as in strangles
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in suppresses
to refrain from openly showing or uttering
stifled a yawn
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in muffles
to deaden the sound of
he stifled a cough with his hand
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stifles
Avoid heavy garden soil, which compacts easily and stifles bulb growth.
—
Emily Hayes, Martha Stewart, 6 Feb. 2026
Administrative red tape stifles growth Beyond direct financial costs, small business owners are struggling with a sudden increase in bureaucratic red tape.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 29 Dec. 2025
Over-regulation stifles American growth and aids China in this crucial race for global strength.
—Samuel Field, Boston Herald, 25 Dec. 2025
Willa’s attempt to reclaim routine leads her to a school that stifles her curiosity — forcing her to choose between conformity and her own voice.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 1 Dec. 2025
Under that traditional system, films are co-financed by sprawling consortiums of studios, broadcasters and publishers, a process critics say stifles creative autonomy and limits profit participation for filmmakers.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 28 Nov. 2025
His paralysis stifles his ability to work more, and to stay in his CMHA unit, his income must remain between 30%-60% of the area median income, which is between $21,575 and $43,151.
—Sydney Franklin, Cincinnati Enquirer, 9 Nov. 2025
Lean also refuted claims that bipolar disorder stifles creativity.
—Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 6 Nov. 2025
Or to send any kind of message that stifles his defining disposition.
—Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2025
Emily Hayes, Martha Stewart, 6 Feb. 2026
Administrative red tape stifles growth Beyond direct financial costs, small business owners are struggling with a sudden increase in bureaucratic red tape.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 29 Dec. 2025
Over-regulation stifles American growth and aids China in this crucial race for global strength.
—Samuel Field, Boston Herald, 25 Dec. 2025
Willa’s attempt to reclaim routine leads her to a school that stifles her curiosity — forcing her to choose between conformity and her own voice.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 1 Dec. 2025
Under that traditional system, films are co-financed by sprawling consortiums of studios, broadcasters and publishers, a process critics say stifles creative autonomy and limits profit participation for filmmakers.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 28 Nov. 2025
His paralysis stifles his ability to work more, and to stay in his CMHA unit, his income must remain between 30%-60% of the area median income, which is between $21,575 and $43,151.
—Sydney Franklin, Cincinnati Enquirer, 9 Nov. 2025
Lean also refuted claims that bipolar disorder stifles creativity.
—Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 6 Nov. 2025
Or to send any kind of message that stifles his defining disposition.
—Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stifles
Verb
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Mostly, though, Boland strangles batters with his suffocating and deadly-accurate line and length.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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What starts as an innocent father/daughter college visit takes a shocking turn when Tony brutally strangles a Mob turncoat.—
Dan Snierson,
Entertainment Weekly,
27 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The brain actively, but provisionally, suppresses the reward systems while in a time of plenty.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
-
By failing to promote these women, the economy suppresses their earnings trajectory, which directly suppresses the income tax revenue required to service the debt.—
Katica Roy,
Fortune,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Although the snow sometimes muffles the thunder, the lightning can be seen, said meteorologist Grant Gilmore, formerly of WFMY-TV in Greensboro, North Carolina.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
25 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Bond chokes Blofeld, who quickly dies from the virus.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Jan. 2026
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Much of the work focused on pulling out English ivy, an invasive vine known for slowly killing trees, and clearing debris that chokes the forest floor.—
Brian Unger,
CBS News,
19 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Because of that, engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have designed a pill that confirms when someone swallows it.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
25 Jan. 2026
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There is also something about a theme park that swallows you up.—
Kimberly Zapata,
Parents,
19 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The filmmaker leans pop-comic rather than petrifying in his final draft, opting for earnestness that smothers atmospheric dread.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
6 Feb. 2026
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If either smothers the grass for long periods, this can compact soil and lead to mold problems.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Trying to eliminate one side inevitably represses part of our own nature.—
Richard P. Weigand,
Rolling Stone,
30 Jan. 2026
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Violent crime is also common, and the government violently represses journalists and dissidents.—
Syra Ortiz Blanes,
Miami Herald,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Both novel and opera include a scene in which Salvador Dalí almost suffocates after getting his head stuck in a scuba helmet at an art opening.—
Emma Allen,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
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The piercing doesn't necessarily damage the trees, but their excrement, which is high in sugar, stains the trees and blocks photosynthesis, which eventually suffocates the trees, the researchers said.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stifles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stifles. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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