suppression

noun

sup·​pres·​sion sə-ˈpre-shən How to pronounce suppression (audio)
1
: an act or instance of suppressing : the state of being suppressed
2
: the conscious intentional exclusion from consciousness of a thought or feeling

Examples of suppression in a Sentence

learned that suppression of her angry feelings didn't necessarily make them go away
Recent Examples on the Web Racial segregation and the violent suppression of democracy among its Black citizens had become a liability for the United States during the Cold War, as the nation sought to stymie Communism’s attraction in non-European nations. Nikole Hannah-Jones, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024 Dozens of Buddhist monks have committed self-immolation, to protest the suppression of Buddhist leaders in Vietnam in the middle of the last century and, more recently, to draw attention to Chinese rule over Tibet, and the exile of the Dalai Lama. Masha Gessen, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2024 Related Articles Native Americans hope new laws push Bay Area museums and universities to return ancestral remains This concern is a pretext for suppression of controversial faculty speech. Ty Alper, The Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2024 However, this suppression can lead to a buildup of tension and resentment, culminating in an explosive outburst. Mark Travers, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 Putin's ruthless suppression of domestic dissent has left him with few political concerns, putting time squarely on the Russian president's side. John Bacon, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2024 The attacks on minorities, the suppression of the press, and the arrest of civil rights activists have attracted scarcely a murmur of disapproval from the State Department or the White House. Ramachandra Guha, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024 Further undermining confidence has been the suppression of financial data and the censorship of commentary on the state of the economy. Desmond Lachman, National Review, 13 Feb. 2024 Eliminating the grease-proofing substances ends a yearslong campaign by the agency to phase out per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, toxic chemicals that may be linked to serious health problems, including cancer, birth defects and immune system suppression. Berkeley Lovelace Jr., NBC News, 28 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'suppression.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of suppression was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near suppression

Cite this Entry

“Suppression.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/suppression. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

suppression

noun
sup·​pres·​sion sə-ˈpresh-ən How to pronounce suppression (audio)
: an act or instance of suppressing: as
a
: stoppage of a bodily function or a symptom
suppression of urine secretion
suppression of a cough
b
: the failure of development of a bodily part or organ
c
: the conscious intentional exclusion from consciousness of a thought or feeling compare repression sense 2a

More from Merriam-Webster on suppression

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