abafar

Senses

1. 1.

   to stifle, to smother, to muffle

   to suppress or reduce sound, heat, or air; to make breathing difficult

2. 2.

   to cover up, to hush up

   to suppress or conceal information, especially scandals or problems

3. 3.

   to overwhelm, to dominate

   to surpass or overpower completely, especially in sports or competition

Examples

• "O calor estava abafando dentro do carro."

  The heat was stifling inside the car.

• "Eles tentaram abafar o escândalo na empresa."

  They tried to cover up the scandal at the company.

• "O time brasileiro abafou os adversários no segundo tempo."

  The Brazilian team overwhelmed their opponents in the second half.

Usage

Common in everyday Brazilian Portuguese across all registers. Frequently used with "calor" (heat) to describe oppressive, muggy weather. In informal contexts, especially sports, "abafar" means to dominate decisively. The figurative sense of covering up scandals is common in news media.