How to pronounce stifle
Say it like STY-ful. Stifle has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (STY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce stifle. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- STY
- ful
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Stifle pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- STYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- fulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of stifle
American and British speakers say stifle in essentially the same way: /ˈstaɪfəl/ in the US and /ˈstaɪfəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: STY-ful.
What does stifle mean?
- To make (an animal or person) unconscious or cause (an animal or person) to die by preventing breathing; to smother, to suffocate.
- To cause (someone) difficulty in breathing, or a choking or gagging feeling.“The heat was stifling the children.”
- To prevent (a breath, cough, or cry, or the voice, etc.) from being released from the throat.
- An act or state of being stifled.
- The joint between the femur and tibia in the hind leg of various four-legged mammals, especially horses, corresponding to the knee in humans.
- A bone disease of this region.
Where does stifle come from?
The noun is derived from the verb.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with stifle
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of stifle.
Questions about saying stifle
How do you pronounce stifle?
Say STY-ful. The American pronunciation is /ˈstaɪfəl/. In British English it is /ˈstaɪfəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in stifle?
Stifle has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (STY). Broken into parts: STY · ful.
Do Americans and Brits say stifle the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈstaɪfəl/ and the British form is /ˈstaɪfəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.