MEANING
1. To stop a feeling, sound, idea, or activity from developing or being expressed.
2. To make breathing difficult by restricting air or through oppressive heat.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- stifle a laugh
- stifle debate
On the page
Rigid procedures can stifle useful experimentation.
Nearby words
Opposite meanings
Word forms
- Base
- stifle
- Past tense
- stifled
- Past participle
- stifled
- Present participle
- stifling
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- stifle
- Present continuous
- am/is/are stifling
- Present perfect
- have/has stifled
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been stifling
- Past
- stifled
- Past continuous
- was/were stifling
- Past perfect
- had stifled
- Past perfect continuous
- had been stifling
- Future
- will stifle
- Future continuous
- will be stifling
- Future perfect
- will have stifled
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been stifling
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: literary / elevated general. Forms: stifle; stifles; stifled; stifled; stifling Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Commonness: moderately common. Third-person singular: stifles.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
Keep a thought for later. Sign in to save privately.