suspend
Americanverb (used with object)
-
suspends,
present (3rd person singular)
-
suspended,
past participle, past
-
suspending
present participle
-
to hang by attachment to something above.
to suspend a chandelier from the ceiling.
-
to attach so as to allow free movement.
to suspend a door on a hinge.
-
to keep from falling, sinking, forming a deposit, etc., as if by hanging.
to suspend solid particles in a liquid.
-
to hold or keep undetermined; refrain from forming or concluding definitely.
to suspend one's judgment.
-
to defer or postpone.
to suspend sentence on a convicted person.
-
to cause to cease or bring to a stop or stay, usually for a time.
to suspend payment.
- Synonyms:
- discontinue, intermit
-
to cause to cease for a time from operation or effect, as a law, rule, privilege, service, or the like.
to suspend ferry service.
-
to debar, usually for a limited time, from the exercise of an office or function or the enjoyment of a privilege.
The student was suspended from school.
-
to keep in a mood or feeling of expectation or incompleteness; keep waiting in suspense.
Finish the story; don't suspend us in midair.
-
Music. to prolong (a note or tone) into the next chord.
verb (used without object)
-
suspends,
present (3rd person singular)
-
suspended,
past participle, past
-
suspending
present participle
-
to come to a stop, usually temporarily; cease from operation for a time.
-
to stop payment; be unable to meet financial obligations.
-
to hang or be suspended, as from another object.
The chandelier suspends from the ceiling.
-
to be suspended, as in a liquid, gas, etc.
verb
-
(tr) to hang from above so as to permit free movement
-
(tr; passive) to cause to remain floating or hanging
a cloud of smoke was suspended over the town
-
(tr) to render inoperative or cause to cease, esp temporarily
to suspend interest payments
-
(tr) to hold in abeyance; postpone action on
to suspend a decision
-
(tr) to debar temporarily from privilege, office, etc, as a punishment
-
(tr) chem to cause (particles) to be held in suspension in a fluid
-
(tr) music to continue (a note) until the next chord is sounded, with which it usually forms a dissonance See suspension
-
(intr) to cease payment, as from incapacity to meet financial obligations
-
obsolete (tr) to put or keep in a state of anxiety or wonder
-
obsolete (intr) to be attached from above
Usage
What does suspend mean? Suspend most commonly means to cause to stop, to bring to a stop, to withhold, or to postpone, as in The bank has suspended payments or All activities have been suspended until further notice. It also commonly means to hang something by attaching it to something else, especially with ropes or cables, as in We need to suspend the banner from the ceiling. More specifically, suspend can mean to officially punish someone, such as an employee, student, or athlete, so that they are not allowed to participate in an activity for a certain period of time, as in He was suspended for five games for fighting. A person punished in this way is said to be suspended. The noun form suspension can be used for most senses of suspend to refer to an instance or the process of suspending.
Synonym Usage
See interrupt.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
suspendibilitynoun
-
resuspendverb
-
presuspendverb (used with object)
-
suspendibleadjective
-
unsuspendibleadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
suspendsimple
-
suspendssimple
-
have suspendedperfect
-
has suspendedperfect
-
am suspendingprogressive
-
are suspendingprogressive
-
is suspendingprogressive
-
have been suspendingperfect progressive
-
has been suspendingperfect progressive
Past
-
suspendedsimple
-
had suspendedperfect
-
was suspendingprogressive
-
were suspendingprogressive
-
had been suspendingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of suspend
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English suspenden, from Latin suspendere “to hang up,” equivalent to sus- sus- + pendere (transitive) “to hang” ( see pend, suspense)
Explanation
You can use the verb suspend any time you need to stop something. Whether it’s your judgment, a rule, or bus service, when you suspend it, you temporarily bring it to a halt. Suspend often describes stopping an activity for a while. A winter storm, for example, may suspend air travel until weather conditions improve. Suspend also works in a more figurative sense, such as when you suspend your doubt in order to give someone or something a fair chance. A student who is suspended is temporarily forbidden from attending class. Don't confuse this with expel, which means he or she may never return.
Vocabulary lists containing suspend
The SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 6
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The New SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"My Favorite Chaperone," Vocabulary from the short story
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
The board vote comes after Mayor Karen Bass requested that the board suspend disconnections for those who may have a hard time paying their bill.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026
The judge refused to suspend the sentence, saying immediate custody was needed "to deter other people from doing precisely what you have".
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026
State-owned Codelco was, for example, forced to suspend expansion of the El Teniente mine -- Chile's largest -- after studies flagged up seismic risks.
From Barron's ● Oct. 22, 2026
She said the school’s decision to suspend fraternity parties for the rest of the academic year, along with other steps, goes further than prior efforts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
The National Woman Suffrage Association’s annual meeting was taking place down the street, so the women decided to suspend their morning events in order to listen to Woodhull make her presentation.
From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling
Metrolink temporarily suspends service on the Pacific Surfliner in South Orange County due to forecasted high tides.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2026
The government will instead introduce a new law in the coming weeks that suspends that expansion indefinitely, Fraser said.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
So he suspends her for a match, the last one before Christmas break.
From Salon ● Sep. 10, 2026
March 14: Boeing suspends deliveries of the 737 MAX after global aviation regulators ground the jet.
From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026
During the still night, when my heart ought to be in quiet in the midst of sleep, which suspends the greatest disturbances, I cannot avoid those illusions my heart entertains.
From Letters of Abelard and Heloise To which is prefix?d a particular account of their lives, amours, and misfortunes by Pierre Bayle
Rail services remain suspended between Madrid and Andalusia.
From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026
Amid the interruptions, the chair briefly suspended the session and instructed both countries' representatives to return to their places.
From Barron's ● Oct. 28, 2026
Passengers on a luxury ship touring the world were told their unexpected final stop was Cambodia after the cruise company suspended operations, citing fuel costs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026
Tyrell resigned from the force in September 2023 after being arrested and suspended.
From BBC ● Oct. 27, 2026
The straps that had suspended the shark from the hoist had been sliced and frayed.
From "The Line Tender" by Kate Allen
"If it is difficult to apply the fix patch promptly, temporarily suspending websites and similar measures can be considered an effective way to reduce risk," she said.
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026
Meta apologized for suspending the primary Instagram account of No Kings protest organizers on a day of events around the country, saying it mistook activity by a Claude tool for bot traffic.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026
The BBC understands the Treasury is suspending sanctions on Russian diesel exports until 7 April 2027 but other assets like those in American banks are still frozen.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
It is also suspending Microsoft, Adobe and six other tech companies from how they sponsor employees who are in the country under a highly skilled worker visa program.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
He rode slowly along the stone wall, suspending judgment.
From "The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War" by Michael Shaara
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
