Stifle

To stop something from happening or to hold it back, like when you try to keep a sneeze from coming out.

Examples

• When the teacher asked us to share our ideas, I felt nervous that my fear would stifle my creativity and stop me from speaking up.
• The loud music from the party next door seemed to stifle my ability to concentrate on my homework, making it hard to focus on my math problems.
• If we don't take care of the environment, pollution can stifle the growth of plants and animals, affecting the entire ecosystem in our neighborhood.

Synonyms

Antonyms