1
as in silencing
to keep from being publicly known
the government tried to suppress the truth about that incident
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stifling
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 halting
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
as in quelling
to put a stop to (something) by the use of force
nothing could suppress the rising tide of protest against the dictator's latest injustices
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in concealing
to keep secret or shut off from view
the defense attorney is openly accusing the prosecutor of attempting to suppress vital evidence
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 suppressing
The drug has already taught the field that powerfully suppressing this key cancer driver actually works.
—
Lisa Jarvis, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2026
By suppressing appetite, the body can direct more energy toward the immune response.
—Jasna Hodžić, Big Think, 22 Apr. 2026
With insurance, those drugs cost about the same as a typical meal at a restaurant — which sounds less appealing on those appetite-suppressing drugs anyway.
—Boston Herald Wire Services, Boston Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
Hurricane Ian delivered large volumes of fresh water into the lagoon, potentially suppressing salt‑tolerant macroalgae that compete with seagrass for sunlight and nutrients.
—Hannah V. Herrero, The Conversation, 21 Apr. 2026
Vance stunned the European political establishment at the Munich Security Conference in 2025, accusing leaders of suppressing populist voices and dismissing voter concerns.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 20 Apr. 2026
Applying mulch offers several benefits, including retaining soil moisture, reducing soil erosion, insulating roots from fluctuating soil temperatures, and suppressing weeds.
—Lauren David, Southern Living, 17 Apr. 2026
Even low-level ambient light during sleep continues suppressing melatonin through the night.
—Allison Palmer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Apr. 2026
Moss is low-maintenance, eco-friendly, and can thrive in various environments, benefiting gardens by controlling erosion and suppressing weeds.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Apr. 2026
Lisa Jarvis, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2026
By suppressing appetite, the body can direct more energy toward the immune response.
—Jasna Hodžić, Big Think, 22 Apr. 2026
With insurance, those drugs cost about the same as a typical meal at a restaurant — which sounds less appealing on those appetite-suppressing drugs anyway.
—Boston Herald Wire Services, Boston Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
Hurricane Ian delivered large volumes of fresh water into the lagoon, potentially suppressing salt‑tolerant macroalgae that compete with seagrass for sunlight and nutrients.
—Hannah V. Herrero, The Conversation, 21 Apr. 2026
Vance stunned the European political establishment at the Munich Security Conference in 2025, accusing leaders of suppressing populist voices and dismissing voter concerns.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 20 Apr. 2026
Applying mulch offers several benefits, including retaining soil moisture, reducing soil erosion, insulating roots from fluctuating soil temperatures, and suppressing weeds.
—Lauren David, Southern Living, 17 Apr. 2026
Even low-level ambient light during sleep continues suppressing melatonin through the night.
—Allison Palmer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Apr. 2026
Moss is low-maintenance, eco-friendly, and can thrive in various environments, benefiting gardens by controlling erosion and suppressing weeds.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suppressing
Verb
-
The justices recognized that Colorado had crossed a constitutional line by favoring one set of ideas while silencing another.—
Jeffrey S. Trimbath,
Baltimore Sun,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Ben & Jerry’s sued Unilever in 2024, accusing it of silencing its statements in support of Palestinians in the Gaza war.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The defense is historically stifling.—
Joel Lorenzi,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The bill, which passed with another similar piece of legislation aimed at limiting protests around houses of worship, has drawn concerns about stifling free speech rights, especially for pro-Palestine protests.—
Josephine Stratman,
New York Daily News,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Alameda County Board of Supervisors narrowly approved a contract with Flock Safety, while halting the contract reauthorization for a separate law enforcement surveillance company over concerns about its ties to Peter Thiel and other privacy risks, especially for immigrants.—
Chase Hunter,
Mercury News,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Spain and Ireland had put the issue of halting the agreement back on the table at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg.—
April 21,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Government forces brought reinforcements into Suqaylabiyah, quelling the violence.—
Omar Albam,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2026
-
In December, the Mouse House pledged to invest $1 billion in OpenAI and entered a three-year licensing agreement for allowing over 200 Disney, Marvel, and Star Wars characters’ likenesses to be used in Sora, quelling some of the text-to-video app’s brushups with copyright law.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Misprision of felony involves someone knowing a felony was committed, and concealing it and failing to report it to authorities as soon as possible.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Just days before the child’s death, Supervisor Arenas had castigated agency officials for concealing a November status report from the state that listed unresolved concerns.—
Julia Prodis Sulek,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Popular with airboaters, froggers and fishermen, the swampy muck beneath the water may have acted as a pincushion, essentially swallowing the disabled DC-9 aircraft.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Avoid swallowing water while swimming.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Murray can breathe a sigh of relief that Nickeil Alexander-Walker left Minnesota for greener pastures in free agency last summer, diminishing the Wolves’ on-ball defensive firepower.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Opposition parties warn that basing constituencies on population could shift political power toward faster-growing northern states, while diminishing the parliamentary representation, seat share and overall influence of southern regions.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The defense was more than satisfactory in subduing the league’s top offense.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Mario himself is played mostly straight by Pratt, subduing the exaggerated Italian accent from the games, while retaining the underdog aspect of a blue collar guy burdened with greater purpose.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Suppressing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suppressing. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
