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stifle

sti·fle

stifle

 
pronunciation:
staI fl
parts of speech:
transitive verb, intransitive verb
features:
Word Combinations (verb)
part of speech: transitive verb
inflections: stifles, stifling, stifled
definition 1: to hold back; inhibit.
He stifled his laughter during the ceremony.
synonyms:
check, inhibit, restrain
antonyms:
kindle
similar words:
constrain, contain, curb, mute, repress, restrict, smother, stay, still, suppress, throttle
definition 2: to end or quell by force; crush.
Government troops quickly stifled the uprising.
synonyms:
put down, quash, quell
antonyms:
encourage, incite
similar words:
arrest, crush, end, extinguish, halt, quench, repress, snuff, squelch, stop, suppress, terminate, throttle, trample
definition 3: to kill by shutting off the air supply from; smother; suffocate.
Rubble from the explosion stifled them.
synonyms:
choke, smother, suffocate
similar words:
asphyxiate, burke, garrote, strangle, throttle
 
part of speech: intransitive verb
definition 1: to die from lack of air.
Many earthquake victims stifled amid fallen debris.
synonyms:
smother, suffocate
similar words:
asphyxiate, choke, gag
definition 2: to suffer from having to breathe impure or hot air.
We stifled in the hot classrooms without ventilation.
synonyms:
stew, suffocate, swelter
similar words:
boil, gasp, pant, wither
Word CombinationsSubscriber feature About this feature
derivation: stifler (n.)