suppress

American  

[suh-pres] / səˈprɛs /

verb (used with object)

1. to put an end to the activities of (a person, body of persons, etc.).

   to suppress the Communist and certain left-leaning parties.

2. to do away with by or as by authority; abolish; stop (a practice, custom, etc.).

3. to keep in or repress (a feeling, smile, groan, etc.).

4. to withhold from disclosure or publication (truth, evidence, a book, names, etc.).

5. to stop or arrest (a flow, hemorrhage, cough, etc.).

6. to vanquish or subdue (a revolt, rebellion, etc.); quell; crush.

7. Genetics. to keep (a gene) from being expressed.

   Let's say that future genetic engineers discover a gene for suicidal depression, and learn how to suppress the gene or adjust it.

8. Electricity. to reduce or eliminate (an irregular or undesired oscillation or frequency) in a circuit.

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suppress British  

/ səˈprɛs /

verb

1. to put an end to; prohibit

2. to hold in check; restrain

   I was obliged to suppress a smile

3. to withhold from circulation or publication

   to suppress seditious pamphlets

4. to stop the activities of; crush

   to suppress a rebellion

5. electronics

   1. to reduce or eliminate (unwanted oscillations) in a circuit

   2. to eliminate (a particular frequency or group of frequencies) in a signal

6. psychiatry

   1. to resist consciously (an idea or a desire entering one's mind)

   2. to exercise self-control by preventing the expression of (certain desires) Compare repress

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Other Word Forms

• nonsuppressive
  adjective
• nonsuppressively
  adverb
• nonsuppressiveness
  noun
• presuppress
  verb (used with object)
• resuppress
  verb (used with object)
• self-suppressing
  adjective
• self-suppressive
  adjective
• suppresser
  noun
• suppressible
  adjective
• suppressive
  adjective
• suppressively
  adverb
• suppressor
  noun
• unsuppressible
  adjective
• unsuppressive
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of suppress

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English suppressen, from Latin suppressus (past participle of supprimere “to press down”), equivalent to sup- sup- + pressus ( see press ¹)

Explanation

To suppress something means to curb, inhibit, or even stop it. If the sound of your boss moving in his chair sounds like gas, you’re going to have to learn how to suppress your giggles. In the strictest sense, suppress means to put an end to something by force, like a government that suppresses the right to free speech by shutting down the newspapers or the military suppressing an uprising by rebel forces. But we also use suppress in less serious terms to describe an attempt to muffle or stifle something, such as suppressing a sneeze in a quiet theater or suppressing your true emotions to not cause a teary scene.

Example Sentences

Strong majorities of Californians believe democracy is under attack and support enacting a new state Voting Rights Act to prohibit discrimination and efforts to suppress voting, a poll showed.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 2, 2026

So viewers were understandably skeptical that the corporation had lovingly funded an anti-corporate guerrilla comedy special only to immediately suppress its circulation online.

From Salon • May 27, 2026

Wawrinka was not one of those, and may well not have been the same player had he tried to suppress a natural inclination to enjoy the company of others from time to time.

From BBC • May 25, 2026

The study, led by Lige Leng and colleagues at Xiamen University in China, focused on Menin, a protein that helps suppress inflammation in the brain.

From Science Daily • May 24, 2026

Jake gives me the side-eye but doesn’t respond to my snark, which I’ve been trying to suppress, in large part for my parents’ peace of mind.

From "Internment" by Samira Ahmed

Related Words

• abolish
• censor
• conceal
• contain
• crack down on
• crush
• curb
• cut off
• muzzle
• overcome
• overthrow
• put an end to
• put down
• quash
• quell
• quench
• repress
• silence
• snuff out