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

Today, black voter registration in the South, where black voter suppression was most pronounced in the Jim Crow era, is higher than in other regions of the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026

"We will not shrink back because of suppression," Lai said, flanked by Eswatini Deputy Prime Minister Thulisile Dladla who had flown to Taiwan with him and his delegation.

From Barron's • May 5, 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

It added this was irrespective of testosterone suppression, which until now has been relied upon by a number of sports when regulating the inclusion of transgender and DSD athletes in female competition.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

The materials we developed were generating positive feedback, and I became hopeful that we might be able to push back against the suppression of this difficult history of racial injustice.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

Related Words

• elimination
• overthrow