suppression

noun

sup·​pres·​sion sə-ˈpre-shən 

1

: an act or instance of suppressing : the state of being suppressed

2

: the conscious intentional exclusion from consciousness of a thought or feeling

Synonyms of suppression

• restraint
• repression
• discipline
• inhibition

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

San Miguel Sheriff's Office Steep and rugged terrain is making suppression efforts difficult for firefighters. — Christa Swanson, CBS News, 28 June 2026

But in the kitchen, things go awry again when some sauce boils over onto a burner, activating a safety suppression feature that automatically shuts down the appliance for a half-hour. — Jen Chaney, Vulture, 26 June 2026

Haney also criticized the investigation’s start, which was 12 days after the Lachman fire, when the scene could have been affected by fire-suppression efforts, the Palisades fire burning the area for a second time, winds, and hikers possibly entering the area. — Sierra Van Der Brug, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 June 2026

To reduce those risks, DEEP Robotics has now showcased its Pulse Firefighting Robot Dog, a quadruped robot designed to carry out remote fire suppression in areas that may be too dangerous for human responders. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 26 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for suppression

• accession
• aggression
• compression
• concession
• confession
• depression
• digression
• discretion
• expression
• impression
• obsession
• oppression

Medical Definition

suppression

noun

sup·​pres·​sion sə-ˈpresh-ən 

: 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