stifling
stifling — 形容詞
1. describes a place or weather that is so hot and lacking in moving air that it be
悶熱
天氣或空間炎熱且不通風的
describes a place or weather that is so hot and lacking in moving air that it becomes hard for you to breathe comfortably.
The classroom was so stifling that several students asked to move to the library.
教室裡悶熱到好幾位學生要求換到圖書館去。
so + stifling + that-clause
On a stifling July afternoon, Elena sat under the only tree in the park.
在七月一個悶熱的午後，Elena 坐在公園裡唯一的那棵樹下。
Without air conditioning, the small apartment became stifling by midday.
沒有冷氣，這間小公寓到了中午就變得非常悶熱。
The subway platform was stifling during the summer heatwave in Taipei.
台北夏季熱浪期間，捷運月台悶熱難耐。
Kwame opened every window in the stifling office, but not a single breeze came in.
Kwame 打開了悶熱辦公室裡的所有窗戶，但一絲風都沒有吹進來。
- stuffy
less intense; focuses on stale air rather than heat
- sweltering
emphasizes extreme heat more than lack of air
- airless
focuses on lack of fresh air, not necessarily heat
用法筆記
Often describes indoor spaces, crowded places, or summer weather. Closely related to 'stuffy,' but stifling suggests heat AND lack of air, while stuffy mainly suggests stale air.
常見錯誤
2. describes a situation, set of rules, or social atmosphere that stops people from
壓抑
限制自由或阻礙發展的
describes a situation, set of rules, or social atmosphere that stops people from doing or saying what they want.
The company's dress code felt stifling to employees who wanted to wear casual clothes.
公司的服裝規定讓想穿休閒服的員工感到壓抑。
feel + stifling + to + [person]
Living in a small town became stifling for Amara because everyone knew everyone else's business.
住在小鎮上讓 Amara 感到壓抑，因為每個人都知道別人的事情。
Many writers find government censorship stifling because it limits what they can say.
許多作家認為政府審查制度很壓抑，因為它限制了他們能說的話。
The strict religious rules created a stifling atmosphere where no one dared to ask questions.
嚴格的宗教規範營造出一種壓抑的氛圍，沒有人敢提出問題。
After the freedom of university, Lin found her parents' house rules stifling.
經歷了大學的自由之後，Lin 發現父母的家規很壓抑。
- oppressive
similar intensity but suggests a heavier emotional burden
- restrictive
more neutral; focuses on rules limiting action
- repressive
stronger; suggests active control by an authority
- liberating
giving freedom to act and express yourself
- free
without limits or control
用法筆記
Frequently appears with nouns like atmosphere, environment, rules, tradition, and culture. This sense is always metaphorical — the restriction is on behaviour or expression, not on breathing.
常見錯誤
stifling — 動詞
1. to stop a feeling, sound, or natural reaction from being shown, or to prevent a
壓制
阻止情感或行為的展現
to stop a feeling, sound, or natural reaction from being shown, or to prevent a process from developing or continuing.
Grace tried to stifle a yawn during the three-hour meeting.
Grace 在長達三小時的會議中試圖忍住不打呵欠。
stifle + [sound / reaction]
The government's new law was designed to stifle public debate.
政府的新法律旨在壓制公共討論。
designed to stifle + [abstract noun]
James put his hand over his mouth to stifle a cough during the concert.
James 在音樂會期間用手捂住嘴，忍住不咳嗽。
The manager's negative attitude stifled any creativity in the team.
經理的消極態度壓制了團隊中的所有創意。
All conversation in the restaurant was stifled by the loud music from next door.
餐廳裡的所有交談都被隔壁傳來的巨大音樂聲壓制住了。
文法句型
stifle + noun phrase (abstract object: yawn, debate, creativity)
用法筆記
The object is nearly always abstract — yawns, laughter, cries, debate, dissent, creativity, innovation. For physical objects like fire or a flame, use 'smother' or 'extinguish' instead.
常見錯誤
2. to cause someone to have trouble breathing, or to find it hard to draw breath, u
使窒息
使人無法順暢呼吸
to cause someone to have trouble breathing, or to find it hard to draw breath, usually because of heat, smoke, or lack of fresh air.
The thick smoke from the fire nearly stifled the firefighters inside the building.
大火產生的濃煙幾乎使建築物內的消防員窒息。
stifled by + [smoke / fumes]
The heat in the packed train carriage was enough to stifle a healthy person.
擁擠的車廂裡的熱度足以讓一個健康的人窒息。
Hana pulled her scarf over her nose to keep the dust from stifling her.
Hana 把圍巾拉到鼻子上，以防灰塵讓她窒息。
The kitchen filled with smoke from the burnt toast, nearly stifling the cook.
廚房裡充滿了烤焦吐司的煙霧，幾乎讓做飯的人窒息。
Omar felt the tight collar around his neck was starting to stifle him.
Omar 覺得脖子上的緊領口開始讓他窒息。
文法句型
stifle + noun phrase (person/breath)
be stifled by + [smoke / heat / dust]
stifle in + [place] (intransitive)
用法筆記
Often used in passive constructions and in descriptions of environments filled with smoke, dust, or extreme heat. The intransitive use ('I'm stifling in here') is common in informal speech.