suppression

American  

[suh-presh-uhn] / səˈprɛʃ ən /

noun

1. the act of suppressing.

2. the state of being suppressed.

3. Psychoanalysis. conscious inhibition of an impulse.

4. Botany. the absence of parts normally or usually present due to the action of frost, disease, or insects.

5. Radio, Electronics. the elimination of a component of a varying emission, as the elimination of a frequency or group of frequencies from a signal.

6. Electricity. the reduction or elimination of irregular current oscillations or frequencies in a circuit.

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suppression British  

/ səˈprɛʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of suppressing or the condition of being suppressed

2. psychoanal the conscious avoidance of unpleasant thoughts Compare repression

3. electronics the act or process of suppressing a frequency, oscillation, etc

4. biology the failure of an organ or part to develop

5. med the cessation of any physiological process

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Other Word Forms

• nonsuppression noun
• resuppression noun
• self-suppression noun

Etymology

Origin of suppression

First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin suppressiōn-, stem of suppressiō “a pressing under”; equivalent to suppress + -ion

Explanation

Suppression is the act of keeping something from happening — like the suppression of your laughter when your best friend passes you a funny note in class. In psychology, suppression is the act of stopping yourself from thinking or feeling something. It is generally presumed to be ineffective because even if you suppress or hold back an emotion, like anger, that feeling returns with a vengeance. Suppression can also mean the act of holding something else back, like the suppression of a book from publication because you don't like its message.

Example Sentences

Many of them have been linked to endocrine disruption, neurological disorders, immune system suppression and even cancer.

From Salon • Apr. 11, 2026

This type of labor suppression is a major reason wages have not kept pace with productivity gains for the past 45 years.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

Birotte said he agreed with the defense attorneys that the failure to turn over discovery constituted a Brady violation, in which suppression of evidence favorable to the defense violates due process.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

After confirming eligibility, participants underwent a dexamethasone suppression test.

From Science Daily • Mar. 30, 2026

They studied immune suppression and cancer growth by injecting HeLa cells into immune-compromised rats, which developed malignant tumors much like Henrietta’s.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot

Related Words

• elimination
• overthrow