Antonyms for stifle


Grammar : Verb
Spell : stahy-fuhl
Phonetic Transcription : ˈstaɪ fəl


Definition of stifle

Origin :
  • late 14c., "to choke, suffocate, drown," of uncertain origin, possibly an alteration of Old French estouffer "to stifle, smother," which may be from a Germanic source (cf. Old High German stopfon "to plug up, stuff"). Metaphoric sense is from 1570s. Related: Stifled; stifling.
  • verb prevent, restrain
Example sentences :
  • As He knows so well where to hit us we must stifle our moans when He does so.
  • Extract from : « The Conquest of Fear » by Basil King
  • So hard it is, even for the most depraved, to stifle the last embers of the moral sense.
  • Extract from : « Stories from Thucydides » by H. L. Havell
  • Chip made haste to stifle his mirth, in fear that she was going to cry.
  • Extract from : « Chip, of the Flying U » by B. M. Bower
  • Then, the moment I reached home, it seemed to me I should stifle were I to enter the house.
  • Extract from : « The Dream » by Emile Zola
  • Because it seemed to me that we were all of us, all day long, endeavouring to stifle the voice.
  • Extract from : « The Uncommercial Traveller » by Charles Dickens
  • There, I'm better—still, I really thought this time that I should stifle!
  • Extract from : « The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete » by Emile Zola
  • And if we stifle them are we really the better—the more moral sex?
  • Extract from : « The Truth About Woman » by C. Gasquoine Hartley
  • At the thought of losing her he was obliged to bury his face in the pillow to stifle his cries.
  • Extract from : « Doctor Pascal » by Emile Zola
  • Down there at Vernon, in my frigid room, I bit my pillow to stifle my cries.
  • Extract from : « Therese Raquin » by Emile Zola
  • Listening intently, he heard the sound of sobbing which she was endeavouring to stifle.
  • Extract from : « Murder Point » by Coningsby Dawson

Synonyms for stifle

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019