suppress

verb

Save Word

sup·press | \ sə-ˈpres

suppressed; suppressing; suppresses

Definition of suppress

transitive verb

1 : to put down by authority or force : subdue suppress a riot

2 : to keep from public knowledge: such as

a : to keep secret

b : to stop or prohibit the publication or revelation of suppress the test results

3a : to exclude from consciousness

b : to keep from giving vent to : check suppressed her anger

4 obsolete : to press down

5a : to restrain from a usual course or action suppress a cough

b : to inhibit the growth or development of

6 : to inhibit the genetic expression of suppress a mutation

Other Words from suppress Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More About suppress

Other Words from suppress

suppressibility \ sə-ˌpre-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē

\ noun

suppressible \ sə-ˈpre-sə-bəl

\ adjective

suppressive \ sə-ˈpre-siv

\ adjective

suppressiveness \ sə-ˈpre-siv-nəs

\ noun

Examples of suppress in a Sentence

Political dissent was brutally suppressed. The governor tried to suppress the news. He struggled to suppress his feelings of jealousy. She could not suppress her anger. I had to suppress an urge to tell him what I really thought.

Recent Examples on the Web Many Ukrainians see Russia as a colonial power that for centuries has tried to suppress Ukrainian identity and subsume it into mainstream Russian culture. — Max Bearak, Washington Post, 19 May 2022 Our work helps clarify its function: to highlight certain signals and suppress others before passing them on to brain regions responsible for perception, motor control and higher cognitive functions. — Sliman Bensmaia, Scientific American, 16 May 2022 To replicate, viruses need to suppress the genes of the host cell and instead favor synthesis of their own. — William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 2 May 2022 The official silence on the fate of the Moskva’s crew is part of a larger campaign by the Kremlin to suppress bad news about the war and control the narrative that Russians receive on its progress. — New York Times, 21 Apr. 2022 That's likely because people wore masks, used hand hygiene often, and socially distanced, in order to suppress the spread of COVID-19. — Dr. Jay Bhatt, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2021 The move into the strictest lockdown underscored the vastly different approach New Zealand has taken to the virus than most other nations, which are attempting to suppress its spread rather than eliminate it entirely. — NBC News, 17 Aug. 2021 The move into the strictest lockdown underscored the vastly different approach New Zealand has taken to the virus than most other nations, which are attempting to suppress its spread rather than eliminate it entirely. — Nick Perry, ajc, 17 Aug. 2021 This tendency to reject and suppress unwanted feelings and thoughts only serves, paradoxically, to increase them in the long term. — Tracy Dennis-tiwary, WSJ, 6 May 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'suppress.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Learn More About suppress

Dictionary Entries Near suppress

suppositum

suppress

suppressant

Statistics for suppress

Last Updated

26 May 2022

Cite this Entry

“Suppress.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/suppress. Accessed 28 May. 2022.

Style: MLA

MLA

Chicago

APA

Merriam-Webster Check Mark Icon

More Definitions for suppress

suppress

verb

sup·press | \ sə-ˈpres

suppressed; suppressing

Kids Definition of suppress

1 : to put down (as by authority or force) : subdue Police suppressed a riot.

2 : to hold back : repress The girls could hardly suppress a smile.

suppress

transitive verb

sup·press | \ sə-ˈpres

Medical Definition of suppress

1 : to exclude from consciousness suppressed anxiety

2 : to restrain from a usual course or action suppress a cough

3 : inhibit sense 2 suppresses the human immune response— Josie Glausiusz especially : to inhibit the genetic expression of suppress a mutation

Other Words from suppress

suppressibility \ -ˌpres-ə-ˈbil-ət-ē

\ noun, plural suppressibilities

suppressible \ -ˈpres-ə-bəl

\ adjective

suppress

transitive verb

sup·press | \ sə-ˈpres

Legal Definition of suppress

1 : to put down by authority or force

2a : to keep secret

b : to stop or prohibit the publication or revelation of

3a : to exclude (illegally obtained evidence) from use at trial suppress narcotics found in violation of the right against unreasonable search and seizure

b : to fail to disclose (material evidence favorable to a defendant) in violation of due process accused the prosecution of suppressing evidence — compare brady material

intransitive verb

: to suppress evidence

Other Words from suppress

suppressible adjective

suppression \ -ˈpre-shən

\ noun