Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Characterized by oppressive heat and humidity; suffocating: Describes an atmosphere or environment that is extremely hot, humid, and difficult to breathe in.
   • Characterized by a feeling of being restricted or suppressed: Describes a situation, atmosphere, or feeling that is oppressive, restrictive, or suffocating in a non-physical sense.

2. Noun:

   • The forceful prevention or suppression of something: The act of putting down or crushing something, such as dissent, by power or authority.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • The air in the small, crowded room was stifling.
  • She felt a stifling sense of boredom in her routine job.
  • We opened the windows to escape the stifling heat.

• Noun:

  • The stifling of free speech is a serious concern.
  • The regime was accused of the brutal stifling of political opposition.

Advanced Usage

• "stiflingly" (adverb): In an oppressive or suffocating manner.
  • The afternoon was stiflingly hot.
  • The rules were stiflingly rigid, allowing for no creativity.

Variants and Related Words

• Stifle (verb): To suppress, curb, or hold back; to make (someone) unable to breathe properly.

  • He tried to stifle a yawn during the meeting.
  • The smoke stifled the firefighters.

• Stifled (adjective): Describes something that has been suppressed or a feeling of being suffocated.

  • She spoke with a stifled sob.

Synonyms

• Adjective (physical): Suffocating, sultry, oppressive, muggy, airless.
• Adjective (non-physical): Oppressive, restrictive, suffocating, repressive, constraining.
• Noun: Suppression, quelling, crushing, repression.

Antonyms

• Adjective: Breezy, airy, cool, refreshing, liberating.
• Noun: Encouragement, promotion, expression, liberation.

Adjective

1. characterized by oppressive heat and humidity
   • the summer was sultry and oppressive
   • the stifling atmosphere
   • the sulfurous atmosphere preceding a thunderstorm

Noun

1. forceful prevention; putting down by power or authority
   • the suppression of heresy
   • the quelling of the rebellion
   • the stifling of all dissent