Definition of suppress
transitive verb
1 : to put down by authority or force : subdue suppress a riot
2 : to keep from public knowledge: such asa : to keep secretb : to stop or prohibit the publication or revelation of suppress the test results
3a : to exclude from consciousnessb : 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 coughb : to inhibit the growth or development of
6 : to inhibit the genetic expression of suppress a mutation
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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 of suppress from the Web
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Two additional suits accuse the panel of breaching open meeting laws; another suit filed July 18 by the NAACP Legal Defense Fund claims the commission is a pretext for future efforts to suppress minority voter participation.
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But opponents say this mail-in election suppresses the vote, is profoundly undemocratic and could lead to burdensome taxes.
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If there has been any surge of sympathy for him, it has been suppressed.
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Critics have cited little evidence of widespread voter fraud and have contended the commission is attempting to advance efforts to suppress voter turnout.
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And while some of those recollections are Rose’s, some are her mother’s, long suppressed and now bubbling to the surface as the dementia advances.
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Unlike conventional liquid termiticides, which provide a chemical barrier to termites, baits are designed to suppress or eliminate the termite colonies.
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After learning of the calibration records, Burke deemed the traffic stop unwarranted and, reversing her earlier ruling, granted a motion to suppress evidence.
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Muslim is the Muslim who will suppress dissent; no protests of Trump’s visit were permitted in Saudi Arabia.
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.
Origin and Etymology of suppress
Middle English, from Latin suppressus, past participle of supprimere, from sub- + premere to press — more at press
Other Psychology Terms
SUPPRESS Defined for English Language Learners
suppress
playDefinition of suppress for English Language Learners
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: to end or stop (something) by force
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: to keep (something) secret : to not allow people to know about or see (something)
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: to not allow yourself to feel, show, or be affected by (an emotion)
SUPPRESS Defined for Kids
Medical Dictionary
suppress
playMedical Definition of suppress
1: to exclude from consciousness suppressed anxiety
2: to restrain from a usual course or action suppress a cough
3: inhibit 2 suppresses the human immune response—Josie Glausiusz; especially : to inhibit the genetic expression of suppress a mutation
Law Dictionary
suppress
playLegal 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
suppressible
adjectiveLearn More about suppress
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See words that rhyme with suppress Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for suppress Spanish Central: Translation of suppress Nglish: Translation of suppress for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of suppress for Arabic speakers
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