stifle
verb /ˈstaɪfl/
/ˈstaɪfl/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they stifle | /ˈstaɪfl/ /ˈstaɪfl/ |
| he / she / it stifles | /ˈstaɪflz/ /ˈstaɪflz/ |
| past simple stifled | /ˈstaɪfld/ /ˈstaɪfld/ |
| past participle stifled | /ˈstaɪfld/ /ˈstaɪfld/ |
| -ing form stifling | /ˈstaɪflɪŋ/ /ˈstaɪflɪŋ/ |
- [transitive] stifle something to prevent something from happening; to prevent a feeling from being expressed synonym suppress
- She managed to stifle a yawn.
- They hope the new rules will not stifle creativity.
- The government failed to stifle the unrest.
- She pressed her hand against her mouth to stifle her sobs.
- Stifling her impatience, she waited another half an hour.
- [intransitive, transitive] to feel unable to breathe, or to make somebody unable to breathe, because it is too hot and/or there is no fresh air synonym suffocate
- I felt I was stifling in the airless room.
- stifle somebody Most of the victims were stifled by the fumes.
Word Originlate Middle English: perhaps from a frequentative of Old French estouffer ‘smother, stifle’.