What does suspension mean?
Suspension is a formal noun meaning the state of being held up, temporarily stopped, or postponed. It describes both physical support, as in the suspension of a vehicle or the cables of a suspension bridge, and interruption, as in the suspension of a service or a person's temporary removal from a position. The term also has a technical use for a mixture in which solid particles are dispersed through a fluid, and a musical use for holding a note or chord longer than its written duration. In everyday discussion, suspension most often suggests that something has been halted or delayed, often temporarily. Related forms include suspend, suspended, and suspending, while the words suspense and suspension are sometimes confused despite having different meanings.
nounThe state of being suspended or prevented from moving, operating, or continuing; a temporary interruption or postponement. It can also refer to a system that supports a vehicle and absorbs shocks, or to a mixture in which solid particles remain dispersed in a fluid.
- The state of being suspended, held up, or temporarily prevented from continuing.
- A temporary interruption or postponement of an activity, service, or process.
- The system of springs, shock absorbers, and supporting components that allows a vehicle to travel over uneven surfaces.
- A punishment involving removal from a position, membership, or participation.
- A mixture in which finely divided solid particles are dispersed through a fluid rather than dissolved.
"The suspension of the service was announced shortly before the storm arrived."
"The suspension of the ferry service continued until the storm subsided."
"The car's suspension made the journey over the rough track surprisingly comfortable."
The plural is used for separate interruptions, stoppages, penalties, vehicles' suspension systems, or chemical mixtures, depending on context.
"The club recorded several suspensions during the season."
A suspension bridge may look impossibly delicate, but its cables and towers work together to carry enormous loads across a span.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does suspension come from?
The word comes through Middle English from Latin suspensio, a noun formed from suspendere, meaning "to hang up" or "to suspend." The Latin root combines sus-, meaning "under" or "from below," with pendere, meaning "to hang." English developed both the general sense of interruption and the mechanical sense of a supporting framework, and the same root also underlies forms such as suspend and suspensory.
Related word forms
How suspension is actually used
The word is formal and commonly occurs in administrative, legal, mechanical, and scientific contexts. In British English, "suspension from employment" is especially common; American English often uses "suspension from employment" or "work suspension" as well.
Easily confused with suspension
Suspension means a stoppage or the state of being held or supported, whereas suspense means a feeling of uncertainty or anticipation about what will happen next.