stifling

/ˈstaɪflɪŋ/
adjective
  1. Extremely hot and stuffy, making it difficult to breathe comfortably.
    • The small room was stifling with no windows open.
    • The stifling heat of the summer made everyone stay indoors.
    • They escaped the stifling city heat by going to the beach.
  2. Preventing free action, expression, or development; oppressive.
    • Living under a stifling dictatorship meant no one could speak their mind.
    • The company's stifling rules discouraged employees from sharing ideas.
    • She found the strict social expectations stifling and longed for freedom.
Antonyms
noun
  1. The act of preventing something from happening or being expressed.
    • The stifling of dissent led to widespread frustration.
    • The government's stifling of the press was condemned internationally.
    • The stifling of natural emotions can be harmful to mental health.
What does "stifling" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean