Suez

American  

[soo-ez, soo-ez] / suˈɛz, ˈsu ɛz /

noun

1. a seaport in NE Egypt, near the S end of the Suez Canal.

2. Gulf of, a NW arm of the Red Sea, W of the Sinai Peninsula.

3. Isthmus of, an isthmus in NE Egypt, joining Africa and Asia. 72 miles (116 km) wide.

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Suez British  

/ ˈsuːɪz /

noun

1. a port in NE Egypt, at the head of the Gulf of Suez at the S end of the Suez Canal: an ancient trading site and a major naval station under the Ottoman Empire; port of departure for pilgrims to Mecca; oil-refining centre. It suffered severely in the Arab-Israeli conflicts of 1967 and 1973. Pop: 513 000 (2005 est)

2. a strip of land in NE Egypt, between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea: links Africa and Asia and is crossed by the Suez Canal

3. the NW arm of the Red Sea: linked with the Mediterranean by the Suez Canal

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Example Sentences

In 2021, a 1,300-foot containership called the Ever Given got stuck in the Suez Canal for six days, triggering massive disruption in global supply chains.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 21, 2026

Some man-made canals such as Panama and Suez do charge tolls and fees for specific services.

From BBC • Jun. 16, 2026

The Charles de Gaulle, the flagship of the French navy, and its escorts were transiting through the Suez Canal en route to the southern Red Sea, the defence ministry said.

From Barron's • May 6, 2026

After Suez, Ms. Wheeler writes, “nothing would ever be the same again,” both for Britain and Morris, whose assumption of femininity was accompanied by increasing critical distance from the dying empire.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

Mum and I went back together on a boat, through the Suez Canal, calling at Aden and Barcelona.

From "My Life with the Chimpanzees" by Jane Goodall