1. a person or thing that stifles, suppresses, or restrains something

Examples

• The strict regulations were seen as a stifler of innovation in the tech industry.
• Her overbearing mother was a stifler of her creative ambitions.
• The heavy bureaucracy acted as a stifler of economic growth.
• Critics called the new policy a stifler of free speech.
• The humid weather was a stifler of outdoor activities.
• He proved to be a stifler of team morale with his constant negativity.