suppress

1
2
as in to swallow
to refrain from openly showing or uttering he managed to suppress a scream at the sight of the dead mouse suppressed her anger

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in to halt
to hold back the normal growth of pruning helps suppress buds at the ends of developed branches and encourages new growth elsewhere

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4
5

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of suppress Those with avoidant attachment tend to suppress their emotions and withdraw from emotionally demanding interactions, while those with anxious attachment are often emotionally reactive and insecure in relationships. Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025 The White House’s efforts to centralize federal grantmaking, restrict free speech, erase public data and expand surveillance mirror China’s successful playbook for building scientific capacity while suppressing dissent. Kenneth M. Evans, The Conversation, 3 Nov. 2025 Hezbollah remains determined to maintain control over Lebanon and suppress other communities. Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2025 One neighbor also pulled out a garden hose to try and suppress the flames. Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 1 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for suppress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suppress
Verb
  • Overall, though, Joseph's fleet bounced back enough to stifle the tight end for the rest of the half, as Bowers finished with just one catch on three targets.
    Luca Evans, Denver Post, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Lean also refuted claims that bipolar disorder stifles creativity.
    Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Signs and symptoms – which can take several weeks to develop – may include constipation, poor feeding, loss of head control, difficulty swallowing and a weak and altered cry, which can progress to difficulty breathing and respiratory arrest.
    Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2025
  • Symptoms include constipation, poor feeding, drooping eyelid, weak muscle tone, difficulty swallowing and breathing problems, among others.
    Jonel Aleccia, Fortune, 11 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Was halting training camp the best move hockey-wise?
    Michael Russo, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
  • North Carolina, meanwhile, issued partial benefits to recipients on Friday but has halted further action in light of Jackson’s stay.
    Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 10 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • There are glimpses of a backstage farce, with Nora trying to use a quickie with her married stage-manager lover (longtime Trier regular Anders Danielsen Lie) to quell a panic attack on opening night, then threatening to bolt.
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 7 Nov. 2025
  • The move seemed to surprise Fallon, who naturally tried to quell her tears by shouting at her.
    Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Christina Leona Cowens, 41, was initially arrested last week on suspicion of felony grand theft, along with misdemeanor counts of unlawful disposal of human remains and attempting to conceal a death.
    Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 11 Nov. 2025
  • People get in the bathtub, think something, bathe themselves and then stand up from the bathwater, all of this is rather ordinary, but even the most ordinary thing in this world can conceal considerable danger.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Back then, Comedy Central responded by heavily censoring the episodes — bleeping all mentions of Muhammad’s name and removing key dialogue — and later pulled them from streaming platforms and reruns entirely.
    Peter Kiefer, HollywoodReporter, 5 Nov. 2025
  • In 2022, the US also greenlit Starlink service for Iran after the country’s government moved to heavily censor the internet.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Perceptive politicians understand that a rising opposition force that aims to replace the entire system has to be co-opted, not simply repressed.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025
  • This week is pushing you to speak up and stop repressing your truth.
    Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Not to diminish, but anybody can create their own AI characters, right?
    Gene Maddaus, Variety, 11 Nov. 2025
  • The institutions built to prevent such suffering are straining under the weight of geopolitical rivalries, eroding trust, and diminishing political will.
    ARIF HUSAIN, Foreign Affairs, 11 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Suppress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suppress. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.

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