stifling 1 of 2

adjective

as in close
lacking fresh air the lecture hall was stifling until we opened several windows

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

stifling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of stifle
1
as in strangling
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

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2
as in suppressing
to refrain from openly showing or uttering stifled a yawn

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in muffling
to deaden the sound of he stifled a cough with his hand

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of stifling
Adjective
For all the deserved talk about the Knicks’ dynamic offense, the defense has been far more stifling than their reputation suggests. — Fred Katz, New York Times, 15 May 2026 Her mother, who had a staid upbringing in California, came to New York in the early sixties looking for someplace more diverse and less stifling. — Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
Several horses collapsed from heat exhaustion after competing in stifling heat in the middle of the day during the cross-country phase of the eventing. — Danielle Rossingh, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026 Employees hide saved time to avoid more work or scrutiny, stifling innovation. — Barnaby Lashbrooke, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 The wrong answer could spiral them toward yesteryear, stifling the buzz Sumrall’s created. — Noah White, Miami Herald, 18 Aug. 2026 Elisabeth Wright Burak, a policy researcher at Georgetown University’s Center for Children and Families, said Trump’s tax-and-spending law is stifling the momentum states had been gaining with maternal care since 2022. — Andrew Jones, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026 Officials had to choose between keeping schools open and sending children to equally stifling apartments. — Eric Klinenberg, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026 Some, like teasel and buckthorn, are absolutely devastating to our native ecosystems, stifling the growth of plants needed for native creatures to thrive. — Sheryl De Vore, Chicago Tribune, 17 Aug. 2026 Playing in the final group in stifling heat and the most wind all week, Scheffler matched the best score Sunday. — ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026 Many of those who died were elderly, often alone, in a stifling house or apartment. — Scott Simon, NPR, 8 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stifling
  1. close
  2. strangling
  3. suppressing
  4. muffling
  5. suffocating
  6. choking
  7. swallowing
  8. stuffy
Adjective
  • This is something the First Alert Weather Team will keep a close eye on throughout the week.
    — Michael Autovino, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Makhachev’s record-setting victory came over Ian Machado Garry via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47) in one of Makhachev’s closest fights.
    — Mark Puleo, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of close
Verb
  • The prosecution says Clancy planned and executed the murders by sending her husband, Patrick Clancy, out of the house on errands, then strangling the children with exercise bands in the basement of their Duxbury home.
    — Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Clancy jumped out a window after strangling the children to death and was paralyzed in the fall.
    — Jodi Guglielmi, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of strangling
Verb
  • Some popular advice suggests parents on appetite-suppressing medication simply not talk about it or offer vague statements about taking care of their health.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
  • In that sense, emotional intelligence becomes less about suppressing feelings than directing them productively.
    — Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of suppressing
Verb
  • Patmos would divide the open warehouse space into smaller rooms, add pipes and support infrastructure and install sound-muffling materials.
    — Ilana Arougheti June 26, Kansas City Star, 26 June 2026
  • The sound-muffling fabrics, carpets, ceiling tiles, tablecloths and rugs that used to decorate restaurants are deemed too stuffy these days, and even upholstered booths are being replaced by more barebones tables — and lots of them, close together.
    — Allyson Reedy, Denver Post, 13 May 2026
Definition of muffling
Adjective
  • The Valkyries won their third straight game, defeating the Sparks 78-58 behind a suffocating defensive performance.
    — Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 16 June 2026
  • The Fleet played a suffocating style of hockey, with a strong forecheck and the ability to wear down opponents with relentless offensive-zone pressure.
    — Hailey Salvian, New York Times, 16 June 2026
Definition of suffocating
Verb
  • And an overly elaborate new CTA station at State and Lake is taking years, choking the North Loop with construction equipment.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Loud, frequent snoring paired with gasping, choking or pauses in breathing may point to obstructive sleep apnea.
    — Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of choking
Verb
  • Those include numbness and tingling around the mouth and fingertips, trouble walking, talking or swallowing, sometimes weakness in the upper or lower extremity, balance issues or struggles with episodic memory.
    — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • According to the nonprofit Poison Control, the dangers of swallowing glass depend on the size and sharpness of the pieces.
    — Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of swallowing
Adjective
  • This light, airy matching set provides coverage without feeling stuffy or constricting.
    — Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 13 Aug. 2026
  • With less humidity in the air, your home should start to feel less stuffy, even without lowering the thermostat and making your air conditioner work harder.
    — Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of stuffy

Browse Nearby Words

stifles
stifling
stigma
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Cite this Entry

“Stifling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stifling. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on stifling

Nglish: Translation of stifling for Spanish Speakers

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