stifled; stifling
ˈstī-f(ə-)liŋ 
1
a
: to withhold from circulation or expression
stifled our anger
b
: to cut off (the voice, the breath, etc.)
c
: deter, discourage
: to be or become unable to breathe easily
stifling in the heat
: 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
Synonyms
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
Jack Magruder, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
Trying to break up Google harks back to a similar punishment initially imposed on Microsoft a quarter century ago following another major antitrust trial that culminated in a federal judge deciding the software maker had illegally used his Windows operating system for PCs to stifle competition.
—CBS News, 20 Nov. 2024
Winter weather shut down highways and other major roadways across the state starting Wednesday and continued to stifle traffic Thursday and Friday.
—Max Levy, The Denver Post, 9 Nov. 2024
But, in his reckoning, this was a reason to work even harder to stifle the trade, rather than a reason to weaken sanctions.
—Ed Caesar, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for stifle 
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
Russell Wilson engineered an offense that moved the ball well enough to set up Chris Boswell’s franchise record-tying six field goals, and the defense stifled the Ravens.
—Jack Magruder, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
Trying to break up Google harks back to a similar punishment initially imposed on Microsoft a quarter century ago following another major antitrust trial that culminated in a federal judge deciding the software maker had illegally used his Windows operating system for PCs to stifle competition.
—CBS News, 20 Nov. 2024
Winter weather shut down highways and other major roadways across the state starting Wednesday and continued to stifle traffic Thursday and Friday.
—Max Levy, The Denver Post, 9 Nov. 2024
But, in his reckoning, this was a reason to work even harder to stifle the trade, rather than a reason to weaken sanctions.
—Ed Caesar, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for stifle
Articles Related to stifle
Dictionary Entries Near stifle
Cite this Entry
“Stifle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stifle. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
stifle
noun
sti·fle
ˈstī-fəl
: the joint next above the hock in the hind leg of a quadruped (as a horse) corresponding to the knee in humans
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share