Meaning & use
stifling
Uncomfortably hot and lacking fresh air, or, figuratively, overly restrictive and suppressing freedom.
See it in a sentence
The stifling heat inside the crowded subway car made everyone eager to reach fresh air.
He found the strict rules at his new job stifling after years of independent work.
A note on using this word
Stifling can describe both physical air quality and figurative restriction, such as a stifling atmosphere at work or in a relationship.
Words with a similar meaning
suffocatingoppressive
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
refreshingliberating
Make it your own
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