English vocabulary · C1
Stifle
/ˈstaɪfl/ · v.
To stifle is to stop something from happening or being shown. A laugh stays inside even when you want to make a sound.
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Example sentences
- She stifled a laugh at dinner.
- Fear can stifle her voice.
Word origin and roots
- origin — unknown
Synonyms and nuances
- SUPPRESS — hold something back (Keep from showing)
- RESTRAIN — limit an action (Hold back)
- SMOTHER — keep from growing (Stop completely)
Similar words
- suppress
- restrain
- smother
- choke
- inhibit
Lesson notes
To stifle is to stop something from happening or being shown. A laugh stays inside even when you want to make a sound.
Related: suppress, restrain, smother. Use stifle when laughs stay inside.
She stifled a laugh at dinner. Fear can stifle her voice.
Stifle has no known origin. It first appeared in English by fourteen hundred. Some laughs are too hard to hide.