stifle
verb (used with object)
to quell, crush, or end by force: to stifle free expression.
are stifling
-
present progressiveof stifle.present progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or state that is currently taking place in the immediate present.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Business owners say the city’s homelessness challenges are stifling commercial activity, not only in Manhattan but increasingly in other boroughs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2026
Elevated mortgage rates, now at 6.55% for 30-year fixed loans, and cautious consumers are stifling housing demand.
From Barron's ● Mar. 25, 2026
Some stores even staged walkouts, citing the dress code change as the last straw in a slew of new policies Starbucks that employees say are stifling and damaging their ability to properly do their jobs.
From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2025
But economists say wider reforms are needed to address long-term problems that are stifling growth.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 31, 2023
With the Trappists the ordinances are so closely drawn that they are stifling; with the Benedictines, on the contrary, they would be light and airy enough to allow the soul to breathe easily.
From The Cathedral by J.-K. (Joris-Karl) Huysmans
