to (cause to) be unable to breathe because you have no air

He is said to have stifled his victim with a pillow. 据说他用枕头闷死了受害人。

We almost stifled in the heat of the city. 城里热得快让我们透不过气来了。

to prevent something from happening, being expressed, or continuing

She stifled a cough/yawn/scream/sneeze. 她忍住没有咳嗽／打哈欠／尖叫／打喷嚏。

I don't know how I managed to stifle my anger. 我不知道自己是怎么抑制住了愤怒。

We should be encouraging new ideas, not stifling them. 我们应该鼓励创意，而不是将其扼杀。