stifled

/'staifld/

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Explanation of "Stifled"

Definition: The word "stifled" is an adjective that describes something that is held back or suppressed, often with effort. It can refer to feelings, sounds, or actions that someone tries to stop or prevent from happening.

Usage Instructions:

• Use "stifled" to describe situations where someone cannot express themselves freely or where a reaction is being controlled.
• It often relates to emotions, laughter, sounds, or physical actions.

Examples:

1. Feelings/Emotions: "She stifled her anger when she heard the unfair comment."
2. Sounds: "He had a stifled laugh during the serious meeting."
3. Actions: "The child stifled a yawn during the long lecture."

Advanced Usage:

"Stifled" can also relate to more serious contexts, such as when someone feels oppressed or restricted in their environment or society. For example: - "The government stifled free speech by censoring the media."

Word Variants:

• Stifle (verb): To suppress or hold back something.
  • Example: "He tried to stifle his emotions during the movie."
• Stifling (adjective): Causing a feeling of being unable to breathe freely or feeling restricted.
  • Example: "The stifling heat made it hard to concentrate."

Different Meanings:

• Stifled can also mean to suffocate or to prevent something from developing. For example, a plant might be stifled if it doesn’t get enough sunlight.

Synonyms:

• Suppressed
• Smothered
• Restrained
• Choked
• Curbed

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• "Stifled laughter": This phrase refers to laughter that someone tries to hold back.
  • Example: "During the serious speech, many in the audience had stifled laughter at the speaker's funny slip-up."

Conclusion:

Understanding the word "stifled" helps you describe situations where emotions, sounds, or actions are being held back. It is useful in both everyday conversation and more formal writing.

Academic

Adjective

1. held in check with difficulty
   • a smothered cough
   • a stifled yawn
   • a strangled scream
   • suppressed laughter

Synonyms

• smothered
• strangled
• suppressed