1. (

• suppression ,
• crushing ,
• quelling ,
• stifling

) forceful prevention; putting down by power or authority; "the suppression of heresy"; "the quelling of the rebellion"; "the stifling of all dissent" ;

1. (

• smother ,
• stifle ,
• strangle ,
• muffle ,
• repress

) suppress in order to conceal or hide; "smother a yawn"; "muffle one's anger"; "strangle a laugh"; "repress a cry of fear" ;

2. (

• stifle ,
• dampen ,

) suppress or constrain so as to lessen in intensity; "Stifle your curiosity" ;

3. (

• suffocate ,
• stifle ,
• asphyxiate ,
• choke ,

) impair the respiration of or obstruct the air passage of; "The foul air was slowly suffocating the children" ;

4. (

• suffocate ,
• stifle ,
• asphyxiate

) be asphyxiated; die from lack of oxygen; "The child suffocated under the pillow" ;

1. (

• sultry ,
• stifling ,
• sulfurous ,
• sulphurous

) characterized by oppressive heat and humidity; "the summer was sultry and oppressive"; "the stifling atmosphere"; "the sulfurous atmosphere preceding a thunderstorm" ;