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Synonyms

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.

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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

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.

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

After confirming eligibility, participants underwent a dexamethasone suppression test.

From Science Daily • Mar. 30, 2026

MV Isle of Arran, a 42-year-old ship affectionately known as the Auld Trooper, has a problem with its fire suppression system.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

One vision is bleak: The new crop will dwindle rapidly, leading to a depleted grove and possible extinction due to drought, a warming climate and the fire-enhancing effects of a century of fire suppression.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026

The torus, or suppression pool, sits like a giant hollow doughnut below the reactor vessel.

From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland

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.