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Definition of suppress verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

suppress

verb
 
/səˈpres/
 
/səˈpres/
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they suppress
 
/səˈpres/
 
/səˈpres/
he / she / it suppresses
 
/səˈpresɪz/
 
/səˈpresɪz/
past simple suppressed
 
/səˈprest/
 
/səˈprest/
past participle suppressed
 
/səˈprest/
 
/səˈprest/
-ing form suppressing
 
/səˈpresɪŋ/
 
/səˈpresɪŋ/
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  1. suppress something (usually disapproving) (of a government, ruler, etc.) to put an end, often by force, to a group or an activity that is believed to threaten authority synonym quash
    • The rebellion was brutally suppressed.
    Extra Examples
    • They often use violence to suppress opposition.
    • The government sought to suppress a growing armed separatist movement.
    • The regime ruthlessly suppresses all dissent.
    • The strike was violently suppressed by the army.
    • Trade union rights were suppressed and casual work became the norm.
    Topics War and conflictc1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • brutally
    • ruthlessly
    • violently
    verb + suppress
    • attempt to
    • seek to
    • try to
    phrases
    • an attempt to suppress something
    See full entry
  2. suppress something (usually disapproving) to prevent something from being published or made known
    • The police were accused of suppressing vital evidence.
    • This information had been deliberately suppressed.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • completely
    • effectively
    • deliberately
    verb + suppress
    • attempt to
    • seek to
    • try to
    phrases
    • an attempt to suppress something
    See full entry
  3. suppress something to prevent yourself from having or expressing a feeling or an emotion
    • to suppress a smile
    • She was unable to suppress her anger.
    • He had suppressed the painful memories of his childhood.
    • He could hardly suppress his surprise.
    • Her face was charged with barely suppressed anger.
    • She was unable to suppress a giggle.
    • The disloyal thought was instantly suppressed.
    • He couldn't suppress the excitement in his voice.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • barely
    • hardly
    • instantly
    verb + suppress
    • be unable to
    • cannot
    • try to
    See full entry
  4. suppress something to prevent something from growing, developing or continuing
    • drugs that suppress the appetite
    Extra Examples
    • A 5 cm layer will suppress weed growth.
    • Transplant patients take drugs which suppress the immune system.
    • The medication effectively suppressed the pain.
  5. Word Originlate Middle English: from Latin suppress- ‘pressed down’, from the verb supprimere, from sub- ‘down’ + premere ‘to press’.
See suppress in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee suppress in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
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