suppress

[suh-pres] / səˈprɛs /

VERB

restrain, hold in check

Synonyms

STRONGEST

abolish censor conceal contain cover up crack down on crush curb cut off muzzle overcome overthrow put an end to put down quash quell quench repress silence snuff out stamp out stifle subdue withhold

STRONG

annihilate bottle burke check clamp conquer extinguish interrupt muffle overpower shush smother spike squash stop trample

WEAK

beat down bring to naught hold back hold down hold in keep in keep secret put kibosh on put lid on sit on

Antonyms

STRONGEST

aid allow assist build up compliment encourage give in help let go permit praise release sanction start support surrender yield

STRONG

light open

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The female flies only mate once, so sterilized males help suppress the population.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026

Some were given drugs designed to delay or suppress puberty, while others were given cross-sex hormones, also known as masculinising and feminising hormones.

From BBC • Jun. 11, 2026

El Nino can also suppress the monsoon over South Asia, depriving India and other parts of the subcontinent of vital rain that supports hundreds of millions of people.

From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026

In other words, the systems appeared unable to consistently suppress the response they had been most heavily trained to produce.

From Science Daily • Jun. 10, 2026

I try to suppress a smile, but it’s hard.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

Vocabulary lists containing suppress

The Giver

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Animal Farm

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The Maze Runner

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