stifle

IPA: stˈaɪfʌɫ

(rare) An act or state of being stifled.
(zootomy) The joint between the femur and tibia in the hind leg of various four-legged mammals, especially horses, corresponding to the knee in humans.
(veterinary medicine) A bone disease of this region.

(transitive, also figuratively) To make (an animal or person) unconscious or cause (an animal or person) death by preventing breathing; to smother, to suffocate.
(transitive, hyperbolic) To cause (someone) difficulty in breathing, or a choking or gagging feeling.
(transitive, also figuratively) To prevent (a breath, cough, or cry, or the voice, etc.) from being released from the throat.
(transitive) To make (something) unable to be heard by blocking it with some medium.
(transitive, figuratively)
(transitive) To keep in, hold back, or repress (something).
(transitive) To prevent (something) from being revealed; to conceal, to hide, to suppress.
(transitive, agriculture (sericulture)) To treat (a silkworm cocoon) with steam as part of the process of silk production.
(intransitive) To die of suffocation.
(intransitive, hyperbolic) To feel smothered; to find it difficult to breathe.
(transitive) To cause (a dog, horse, or other four-legged mammal) to dislocate or sprain its stifle joint.

Examples of "stifle" in Sentences

She tried to stifle a yawn during the boring presentation
The heavy blanket seemed to stifle all of the air out of the room
I could feel my creativity being stifled by the strict rules of the art class
The oppressive heat was suffocating, making it hard to breathe and stifling any desire to go outside
The constant interruptions stifled her ability to concentrate on her work