suppressed: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Formal and neutral. Common in academic, technical, journalistic, and professional writing.
Quick answer
What does “suppressed” mean?
forcefully stopped or prevented from being expressed, continuing, or being known.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
forcefully stopped or prevented from being expressed, continuing, or being known.
Held back, contained, or kept from public view; often refers to emotions, information, actions, or biological/mechanical processes (like a suppressed immune response or cough).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major differences in meaning or usage. Spelling is consistent.
Connotations
Similar in both variants. Often associated with authoritarian control, psychological repression, or technical/systemic restraint.
Frequency
Comparatively frequent in both varieties, with slightly higher use in American English in journalistic contexts regarding information or dissent.
Grammar
How to Use “suppressed” in a Sentence
[subject] suppressed [object] (e.g., The government suppressed the protest.)be/get suppressed by [agent] (e.g., The news was suppressed by the authorities.)have suppressed [object] (e.g., She had suppressed the traumatic event for years.)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “suppressed” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The police suppressed the riot before it could spread.
- She managed to suppress a smirk during the serious meeting.
American English
- The government suppressed the investigative report.
- He took medicine to suppress his allergy symptoms.
adverb
British English
- Not a standard adverbial form; 'in a suppressed manner' is possible but rare.
American English
- Not a standard adverbial form; 'in a suppressed manner' is possible but rare.
adjective
British English
- He spoke with suppressed fury.
- The leaked document revealed suppressed evidence.
American English
- She had a suppressed immune response to the medication.
- The story is based on previously suppressed files.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to suppressed demand, suppressed competition, or suppressed wages.
Academic
Common in psychology (suppressed memories), history (suppressed revolts), medicine (suppressed appetite), and political science (suppressed freedoms).
Everyday
Used for feelings (anger, laughter), minor physical actions (a sneeze), or information.
Technical
In engineering (suppressed noise/vibration), computing (suppressed warnings), and biology (suppressed gene expression).
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “suppressed”
- Using 'depressed' instead of 'suppressed' for actions (e.g., *He depressed his anger).
- Confusing adjective and verb forms (suppressed vs. suppress).
- Using 'suppressed' for simple hiding without the element of force or authority.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
They are often used interchangeably, especially for emotions. However, in psychology, 'repressed' is often used for unconscious blocking of thoughts/memories, while 'suppressed' implies a conscious effort.
Not always. While often negative (suppressed rights), it can be neutral or positive in technical/medical contexts (suppressed virus, suppressed background noise).
Yes. The past participle 'suppressed' functions as an adjective, e.g., 'suppressed emotions', 'a suppressed document'.
The primary noun forms are 'suppression' (the act) and 'suppressor' (a thing or person that suppresses).
forcefully stopped or prevented from being expressed, continuing, or being known.
Suppressed is usually formal and neutral. common in academic, technical, journalistic, and professional writing. in register.
Suppressed: in British English it is pronounced /səˈprɛst/, and in American English it is pronounced /səˈprɛst/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Bottled up (for emotions, similar to 'suppressed feelings').”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a PRESS putting heavy weight on something, forcing it down (SUP-PRESS-ed). The prefix 'sup-' means 'under'.
Conceptual Metaphor
EMOTION/INFORMATION IS A FLUID UNDER PRESSURE (It builds up and may erupt if not released.)
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'suppressed' used CORRECTLY?