suspend

verb sus·pend \ sə-ˈspend \

|Updated on: 12 Jun 2018

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Examples: suspend in a Sentence

Editor's Note: Did You Know?

Definition of suspend

suspended; suspending; suspends

transitive verb

1 : to debar temporarily especially from a privilege, office, or function

suspend a student from school

2 a : to cause to stop temporarily

suspend bus service

b : to set aside or make temporarily inoperative

suspend the rules

3 : to defer to a later time on specified conditions

suspend sentence

4 : to hold in an undetermined or undecided state awaiting further information

suspend judgment

suspend disbelief

5 a : hang; especially : to hang so as to be free on all sides except at the point of support

suspend a ball by a thread

b : to keep from falling or sinking by some invisible support (such as buoyancy)

dust suspended in the air

c : to put or hold in suspension

suspended sediment

6 a : to keep fixed or lost (as in wonder or contemplation)

b : to keep waiting in suspense or indecision

7 : to hold (a musical note) over into the following chord

intransitive verb

1 : to cease operation temporarily

2 : to stop payment or fail to meet obligations

3 : hang

See suspend defined for English-language learners

See suspend defined for kids

Examples of suspend in a Sentence

He was suspended from the team for missing too many practices.
The police officers were suspended without pay for their conduct.
The principal suspended the student from school for fighting.
The city suspended bus service during the storm.
The company was forced to suspend operations.
They have suspended the peace talks.
I advise suspending judgment until the investigation is over.
Her license to practice law was suspended.
We can suspend the rules just this once.
He's driving with a suspended license.

Recent Examples of suspend from the Web

However, the judge in the case determined that Long’s actions were dangerous to the public and sentenced him 360 days in jail, but suspended all but 20 days.

— angela helm, The Root, "Black Charlottesville, Va., Flame Thrower Found Guilty of Disorderly Conduct, Sentenced to 20 Days in Jail," 9 June 2018
Texas and the accompanying states have asked for a preliminary injunction that could suspend the entire law while the case plays out in court.

— amy goldstein, chicagotribune.com, "Trump administration won't defend Affordable Care Act in case brought by GOP states," 8 June 2018
Guy also rejected a recommendation from Spear and the attorney that Owletuck be suspended or fired after the Juneau incident, the summary said.

— nathaniel herz, Anchorage Daily News, "Court filings expose power struggle over sex harassment charges at Native corporation Calista," 8 June 2018
Although adults won't be able to ride on the oldest working carousel in the country, Flying Horse Carousel is still worth a visit. Built in 1876, the horses are not attached to the ground, but are suspended and swing while in motion.

— michaela bechler, Vogue, "The Charming Rhode Island Village You Should Visit This Summer," 8 June 2018
Muntari had only even started because André Ayew was suspended.

— SI.com, "World Cup Countdown: 6 Days to Go - Ghana Denied Semi Final Place by Cynical & Clinical Uruguay," 8 June 2018
The Bureau of Justice Statistics launched plans to develop such a database but suspended the project indefinitely last fall.

— Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Implementation of mental health training plan for officers runs counter to recommendations," 8 June 2018
Diver was transported to Silver Cross Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, was charged with driving while license suspended, operating an uninsured vehicle, and failure to yield while turning left, Alessandrini said.

— susan demar lafferty, Daily Southtown, "Woman injured after 3-vehicle crash involving ambulance in New Lenox," 7 June 2018
If Williams were suspended under the NFL’s personal conduct policy, the Cowboys wouldn’t have to pay him a cent.

— peter dawson, star-telegram, "If Terrance Williams gets cut, who could the Cowboys add at wide receiver?," 6 June 2018

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

Did You Know?

When something is suspended, it is "left hanging;" it is neither in full operation nor permanently ended. Suspense is a state of uncertainty and maybe anxiety. When we watch a play or movie, we enjoy experiencing a "suspension of disbelief;" that is, we allow ourselves to believe we're watching reality, even though we aren't truly fooled.Suspension can also mean physical hanging; thus, in a suspension bridge, the roadway actually hangs from huge cables. When some substance is "in suspension", its particles are "hanging" in another substance, mixed into it but not actually dissolved, like fine sand in water, or sea spray in the air at the seashore.

Origin and Etymology of suspend

Middle English, from Anglo-French suspendre, from Latin suspendere, from sub-, sus- up + pendere to cause to hang, weigh

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

suspend Synonyms

Synonyms

adjourn, prorogue, recess;

Near Antonyms

inaugurate, launch, open;

carry on, continue, draw out, extend, proceed, prolong;

renew, reopen, resume;

assemble, call, convene, convoke, muster, rally, summon;

defer, hold off, postpone, put off, reserve, shelve, table;

dissolve, end, halt, stop, terminate;

break up, close, conclude, wind up, wrap up;

abort, call, call off, drop, recall, repeal, rescind, revoke;

abrogate, annul, invalidate, negate, nullify, quash, void;

Synonym Discussion of suspend

defer, postpone, suspend, stay mean to delay an action or proceeding. defer implies a deliberate putting off to a later time.

- deferred buying a car until spring

postpone implies an intentional deferring usually to a definite time.

- the game is postponed until Saturday

suspend implies temporary stoppage with an added suggestion of waiting until some condition is satisfied.

- business will be suspended while repairs are underway

stay often suggests the stopping or checking by an intervening agency or authority.

- the governor stayed the execution

SUSPEND Defined for English Language Learners

suspend

verb

Definition of suspend for English Language Learners

: to force (someone) to leave a job, position, or place for a usually short period of time as a form of punishment
: to stop (something) for a usually short period of time
: to make (something) happen later : to delay (something)

SUSPEND Defined for Kids

suspend

verb sus·pend \ sə-ˈspend \

Definition of suspend for Students

suspended; suspending

1 : to force to give up some right or office for a time

The cheater was suspended from school.

2 : to hang especially so as to be free except at one point

A light bulb was suspended from the ceiling.

3 : to stop or do away with for a time

The principal is suspending a rule.

4 : to stop operation or action for a time

All business suspended during the storm.

Word Root of suspend

The Latin word pendere, meaning “to cause to hang down,” gives us the root pend. Words from the Latin pendere have something to do with hanging. To suspend is to cause something to hang down from a single point. To depend is to hang, or rely, on the support of others. A pendant is an ornament that hangs free, as on a necklace. A pendulum is an object hung from a point that swings freely back and forth, as in a clock.