stifle

12 synonyms and 1 antonym for stifle, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Verb — To suppress or hold back something such as a sound, feeling, or reaction.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

knee

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

suppress choke

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

smother choke back muffle quash suffocate asphyxiate repress dampen strangle

Synonyms by Meaning

1. verb

To suppress or hold back something such as a sound, feeling, or reaction.

“She stifled a laugh during the funeral.”

suppress smother choke back muffle quash suffocate asphyxiate repress choke dampen strangle

Opposites

stimulate

2. noun

In horses and other four-legged animals, the joint on the hind leg that corresponds to the human knee.

“The vet examined the horse's stifle after it started limping.”

knee

How to use stifle

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

stifle a yawn stifle creativity stifle dissent

Etymology

Traced back through Middle English "stuflen" to Old French "estouffer" ("to choke or suffocate"), the same root that gives modern French "étouffer".

Full origin of stifle →

Frequently asked questions

What does “stifle” mean?

The word “stifle” means to suppress or hold back something such as a sound, feeling, or reaction. In plain terms, to hold something back so it cannot come out — a laugh, a cry, criticism, or even air itself.

How do you pronounce “stifle”?

“Stifle” is pronounced STYFL (/ˈstaɪf(ə)l/ in IPA).

How do you use “stifle” in a sentence?

Here is “stifle” used in a sentence: “She stifled a laugh during the funeral.”

What part of speech is “stifle”?

Depending on how it is used, “stifle” can be a verb and a noun.

Where does the word “stifle” come from?

The word “stifle” comes from Old French. Traced back through Middle English "stuflen" to Old French "estouffer" ("to choke or suffocate"), the same root that gives modern French "étouffer".

How many meanings does “stifle” have?

“Stifle” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to suppress or hold back something such as a sound, feeling, or reaction.

People also searched

knee stimulate choke suppress asphyxiate dampen quash repress suffocate strangle smother muffle

Nearby words

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