stifle
verb
sti·fle
| \ ˈstī-fəl
\
\
stifled;
stifling\ ˈstī-f(ə-)liŋ
\
\
Definition of stifle
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a
: 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
stifle
nounDefinition of stifle (Entry 2 of 2)
: 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
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Other Words from stifle
Verb
stifler
\ ˈstī-f(ə-)lər
\
noun
\
noun
stiflingly
\ ˈstī-f(ə-)liŋ-lē
\
adverb
\
adverb
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: Verb
That said, Lieu was effective in his ability to succinctly paint a picture of how Trump obstructed justice and what factors stifle his prosecution (Mueller later added an addendum at the second hearing). — Michael Arceneaux, Essence, "Opinion: Will Nancy Pelosi Finally Do Something About Donald Trump’s Abuse Of Power?," 25 July 2019 Back in May, Hughes pointed out that Facebook generates 80 percent of all social media revenue, and cited Adam Smith’s warning about how monopolies can stifle competition, innovation and ultimately economic growth. — Alexis Papazoglou, The New Republic, "Facebook Is a New Form of Power," 22 July 2019 Hanlon’s summit will try to find solutions that support preservation without violating that treaty, or otherwise stifling the spirit of space exploration. — Time, "'We Need That Boot Print.' Inside the Fight to Save the Moon's Historic Sites Before it's Too Late," 18 July 2019 Multiple lawmakers said Mendelson used hardball tactics to push through the sports betting contract and tried to stifle dissent on how to punish Evans. — Fenit Nirappil, Washington Post, "Tensions reach a new high at a D.C. Council as lawmakers grapple with scandal," 13 July 2019 Those scanning this movie for topical subtext, for warnings of what happens when a heavy-handed government tries to stifle freedom and creativity, will have little trouble finding them. — Justin Chang, latimes.com, "Review: ‘Leto’ is a vibrant portrait of Leningrad’s underground ’80s rock scene," 19 June 2019 Golden State greatly missed not only Thompson's touch from outside but also his stifling defense. — Janie Mcauley, chicagotribune.com, "Raptors use big shots to overcome Steph Curry's 47 points and take a 2-1 NBA Finals lead," 5 June 2019 Qaddafi seized power in 1969 as a young colonel, then held it by stifling dissent, playing Libya’s tribes against one another and ruining whatever independent institutions once existed. — Dexter Filkins, New York Times, "Why Libya Continues to Burn," 18 May 2018 Attorney General Jeff Landry’s lawsuit accuses the Vermilion Parish School Board and its members of violating the state’s Open Meetings Law by stifling public debate at the Jan. 8 meeting. — Washington Post, "School board sued over meeting where teacher removed, cuffed," 8 Mar. 2018Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
The battle will require the tech execs to mobilize lawyers, lobbyists and PR teams to convince regulators, legislators and the media that their companies do not harm consumers or stifle competition. — Dylan Byers, NBC News, "Mark Zuckerberg's next FTC fight could be tougher," 25 July 2019 The government did not appear to prove its case that a bulked-up AT&T would harm consumers and stifle competition. — Brooks Barnes, New York Times, "As Disney Moves Forward With Fox, Comcast Continues Plotting," 20 May 2018 Clyde the Belgian came to Hay Burr Inn with a stifle injury. — Denise Coffey, Courant Community, "Working Small Miracles At Hay Burr Inn Equine Rescue," 19 Sep. 2017 The company created what is called a stifle brace for Fievel, a black Lab mix who suffers from a painful torn ACL. — Stacey Delikat, Fox News, "Prosthetic limbs offering pets a new 'leash' on life," 3 July 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'stifle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for stifle
stifle
verb
English Language Learners Definition of stifle
: to not allow yourself to do or express (something)
: to stop (someone) from doing or expressing something
: to make (something) difficult or impossible
See the full definition for stifle in the English Language Learners Dictionary
stifle
verb
sti·fle
| \ ˈstī-fəl
\
\
stifled;
stifling
Kids Definition of stifle
1
: to cause or have difficulty in breathing
The room was hot and stifling.
2
: to keep in check by effort
I had to stifle a laugh.