What does suppress mean?
To suppress something means to prevent it from being revealed, expressed, or allowed to continue. The word is especially common in reports about governments, organizations, or authorities concealing information, but it is also used for personal behavior: people may suppress laughter, anger, surprise, or other emotions. In scientific and technical contexts, suppress can mean to inhibit or reduce a process, such as inflammation, growth, or noise. It is a formal word with a strong implication of deliberate control or concealment. Unlike simply hiding something accidentally, suppression often suggests that an influence is being deliberately restrained or prevented from becoming visible, audible, or active.
verbTo prevent something from being published, expressed, or made known. It can also mean to stop or restrain an emotion, reaction, or activity.
- To prevent information, speech, or an expression from being published or made public.
- To restrain or prevent a feeling, reaction, or action from being expressed or continuing.
- To reduce, stop, or inhibit a process, development, or response.
"The report was suppressed after officials raised concerns about its contents."
"The government attempted to suppress reports about the environmental damage."
"She tried to suppress her surprise when she saw the finished room."
To suppress something is to keep it from being seen or heard—but the word also carries a long history of literally pressing something down.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of suppress
The English word comes from Latin suppressus, the past participle of supprimere, meaning “to press down” or “put down.” The prefix sub- contributed the sense of under or beneath, while premere meant “to press.” English borrowed the word in the 15th century, initially in the sense of putting down or suppressing something. Its modern sense of preventing publication or expression developed from the earlier meanings of restraining, concealing, and putting down.
Related word forms
How suppress is actually used
The word is formal and often carries a connotation of secrecy or deliberate restriction. It is commonly used for information, speech, emotions, reactions, and biological or physical processes.
Easily confused with suppress
Suppress means to prevent something from being expressed, published, or allowed to continue, whereas compress means to press or squeeze something into a smaller space.