stifle

Object

• yawn: Mr Blair himself was seen to stifle a yawn.
• dissent: What this is really about is stifling dissent on a national scale.
• creativity: Everything in the education system is tailored, through exams from the age of five, to stifle creativity.
• giggle: You can't get through a page without having to stifle giggles at the pompous redundancy of the literary quotations.
• tinkering: Architectures to prevent or stifle tinkering can be designed into products and technologies whether or not there is a law requiring them.
• innovation: Pressure to achieve waiting list targets should not be allowed to stifle local innovation.

Subject

• lack: His attacking threat was, admittedly, stifled by a lack of service.
• bureaucracy: In a countryside, increasingly stifled by bureaucracy, how will tomorrow's rural communities make a living?

Adjective complement

• joint: The thigh should still appear wide at the stifle joint.

Modifying Another Word

• potentially: His visionary voice is potentially stifled by sorrow and grief, and he attempts to contain that dangerous erosion of his prophetic vision.
• effectively: He effectively stifled all ambition of those below him, enjoining to himself all the offices of the Order.
• rather: But where the Arkle can be formal and rather stifling, the Brasserie has a more relaxed, robust and approachable character.
• quickly: There are threats of guitar brilliance but they're quickly stifled.
• often: Delays can be, and are, often stifling.
• even: Or are you trying to stifle even this form of objection now Cllr Byrne?

Used with why or when

• what: Am I athirst, how cool its waters run, or stifled what a vivifying air.
• when: Often, negative reaction from players or viewers was stifled when a clear, firm signal was displayed.

Preposition: of

• criticism: And, indeed, the stifling of criticism of religion can be an effect of multiculturalism.

Preposition: by

• lack: His attacking threat was, admittedly, stifled by a lack of service.
• bureaucracy: In a countryside, increasingly stifled by bureaucracy, how will tomorrow's rural communities make a living?