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suppress

/səˈprɛs/
verb★Intermediate💡 to forcibly stop or prevent something
general

to forcibly stop or prevent something from being expressed, shown, or heard

She tried to suppress her laughter during the serious meeting.

She attempted to stop herself from laughing during the serious meeting.

💡

Can be used both physically and metaphorically.

general

to control or reduce the intensity of something, such as emotions or physical reactions

He struggled to suppress his anger.

He had difficulty controlling his anger.

💡

Often used in psychological or emotional contexts.

⚖️Law
formal

to deliberately prevent information from being made public

The court ordered the suppression of the evidence.

The court ruled that the evidence should not be made public.

💡

Common in legal contexts.

Collocations

suppress a smileto stop oneself from smilingsuppress a yawnto stop oneself from yawningsuppress a coughto stop oneself from coughing

Synonyms

restraincontrolsubduestiflequell

Antonyms

expressencouragereleasepromoteallow

Related Phrases

suppress a smilephrase
to stop oneself from smiling
suppress a yawnphrase
to stop oneself from yawning

💡Pro Tip

Common Usage

Use 'suppress' when referring to stopping something forcefully or controlling an emotion or reaction.

⚡Gold Rule

Formal vs. Informal

In formal contexts, 'suppress' can refer to legal or authoritative actions, while in informal contexts, it often describes controlling emotions or reactions.

📖Word Origin

From Latin 'suppressus', past participle of 'supprimere', meaning 'to press down' or 'to hold down'.

📝Usage Notes

Can be used both literally and metaphorically. Often implies force or authority.

Word Breakdown

sup-
under
prefix
+
-press
to press down
root
English Dictionary

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