suction
Americannoun
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the act, process, or condition of sucking.
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the force that, by a pressure differential, attracts a substance or object to the region of lower pressure.
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the act or process of producing such a force.
verb (used with object)
noun
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the act or process of sucking
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the force or condition produced by a pressure difference, as the force holding a suction cap onto a surface
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the act or process of producing such a force or condition
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A force acting on a fluid caused by difference in pressure between two regions, tending to make the fluid flow from the region of higher pressure to the region of lower pressure.
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The act of reducing pressure to create such a force, as by the use of a pump or fan.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of suction
1605–15; < Late Latin sūctiōn- (stem of sūctiō ) a sucking, equivalent to Latin sūct ( us ) (past participle of sūgere to suck ) + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
Suction is a force created when there's a difference in air pressure. When you use a straw to drink a milkshake, suction forces the delicious ice cream to move up into your mouth. Suction comes from the same Latin root as suck. Suction happens when a vacuum cleaner sucks up dirt or when someone sucks on a straw. At the dentist, suction is used to get rid of all the extra saliva while they work on your teeth. (Yuck.) Suction can also make things stick to hard surfaces. Some frogs can stick to windows with their little suction cup toes.
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 price of plastic has risen roughly 50 percent since before the Iran war, Chen told AFP as workers behind him fastened suction tubes to metal tanks.
From Barron's • May 6, 2026
"One tactic is using suction traps that rely on steady cues, such as continuous CO2 release or constant light sources, to attract mosquitoes," Zuo said.
From Science Daily • Mar. 22, 2026
Strong "gorilla" pincers are used for picking up heavier boxes or, for more delicate items, a suction device can be used.
From BBC • Feb. 12, 2026
The most promising model is a robot with 12 arms, six on either side, each bearing a camera and suction cups.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 29, 2025
A nurse was there to suction them out so he wouldn’t suffocate.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
