suspend

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verb sus·pend \ sə-ˈspend \

Definition of suspend

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

The authorities had suspended some train and bus services and put several cities in the area under curfew in an attempt to prevent further violence.

— hari kumar, New York Times, "Indian Guru Whose Followers Rioted Is Sentenced for Rape," 28 Aug. 2017
The Glendale Police Department conducted the sweep on Saturday, serving 21 warrants for DUI offenses, reckless driving and suspended licenses.

— andy nguyen, Glendale News-Press, "10 arrested in Glendale warrant sweep," 28 Aug. 2017
The bills, which mature around the time when Treasury is estimated to run out of money unless lawmakers extend or suspend the statutory limit on the nation’s borrowing, are currently trading at 1.17 percent.

— bess levin, The Hive, "Delusional White House Employee Still Thinks Mexico Might Pay for the Wall," 24 Aug. 2017
As Murtha lay suspended between life and death, the visions continued.

— roc morin, The Atlantic, "Transplantees Find Catharsis in Holding Their Old Hearts," 22 Aug. 2017
The Slinky's inventor, Richard T. James, was a naval engineer trying to develop ways of suspending naval instruments aboard ships in 1943.

— david grossman, Popular Mechanics, "This Mesmerizing Pancake Spring Is Like a 2D Slinky," 18 Aug. 2017
In a 2-1 ruling, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel vacated the previous preliminary injunctions from a federal judge that prevented the state from suspending Medicaid payments for services patients received from Planned Parenthood.

— veronica hilbring, Essence.com, "U.S. Appeals Court: Arkansas Can Block Medicaid Funding To Planned Parenthood," 17 Aug. 2017
Neither contestant returned to the show after production was suspended, but both are expected to return for its reunion special.

— laura bradley, vanityfair.com, "How the Bachelor in Paradise Premiere Addressed the Corinne-DeMario Scandal," 14 Aug. 2017
Big Cass vs. Big Show with Enzo Amore suspended above the ring in a shark cage.

— jim varsallone, miamiherald, "Talking WWE with longtime fan, Miami Heat forward Udonis Haslem," 11 Aug. 2017

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

See Words from the same year

suspend Synonyms

Synonyms

prorogate, prorogue, recess, adjourn

Related Words

break off, disband, discontinue, disperse, intermit, interrupt; 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

Near Antonyms

inaugurate, launch, open; carry on, continue, draw out, extend, proceed, prolong; renew, reopen, resume; assemble, call, convene, convoke, muster, rally, summon

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 under way

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

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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

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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.