suppress

[suh-pres]

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.

suppress

/ 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

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of suppress¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of suppress¹

C14: from Latin suppressus held down, from supprimere to restrain, from sub- down + premere to press

Example Sentences

He discovered that the vagus nerve—which connects the brain to many organs—can send electrical signals that suppress the inflammatory response.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Specially trained hazardous materials crews are monitoring air quality as efforts continue to suppress the fire in the ship’s sub-levels.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“Local water systems and hydrants are not designed to suppress firestorm conditions impacting an entire neighborhood of homes at the same time.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Baroness Hallett found the UK was too late to consider the idea of a lockdown to suppress the disease in 2020, by which time the need for stringent restrictions had become "unavoidable".

Read more on BBC

Underground religious bodies like Zion Church, though harassed, persist with quiet resilience; officials often face a whack-a-mole reality in trying to suppress them.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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