suspended
B2Formal to Neutral
Definition
Meaning
Temporarily stopped, halted, or prevented from continuing or being active.
Hung from above, held in mid-air without support from below; temporarily barred from a position or privilege (e.g., school, job); held in a state of temporary inactivity or pending a decision.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
It implies a temporary state, often imposed by an authority or by circumstances, with an expectation of potential resumption or resolution. The 'hung' meaning is more literal.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is largely identical, though 'suspended sentence' in law is slightly more common in BrE news reports.
Connotations
Identical connotations of temporary halt or punishment.
Frequency
Comparatively high frequency in both legal, educational, and technical contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
be suspended from + [institution/privilege]be suspended for + [reason/duration]have + [object] suspendedsuspended + [prepositional phrase: in/from/by]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Suspended animation”
- “Suspended disbelief”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Production was suspended due to a supply chain disruption.
Academic
The student was suspended from the university for a term.
Everyday
My gym membership has been suspended while I'm injured.
Technical
The particles remain suspended in the solution.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The player has been suspended for four matches.
- Services on the Northern line are suspended due to strike action.
American English
- The attorney's license was suspended for misconduct.
- Flights were suspended because of the hurricane.
adverb
British English
- The lamp hung suspended from the vaulted ceiling.
American English
- The climber dangled suspended over the crevasse.
adjective
British English
- He received a suspended prison sentence.
- The bridge had a suspended walkway.
American English
- She's on suspended leave pending the review.
- The suspended fixture swayed gently.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The football match was suspended because of rain.
- A beautiful lamp was suspended from the ceiling.
- His driving licence was suspended for six months.
- Construction work has been suspended until next week.
- The committee voted to suspend the rules, and the meeting was suspended shortly after.
- Dust particles remained suspended in the beam of sunlight.
- The journalist was granted a suspended sentence on condition of good behaviour.
- The treaty's implementation is currently suspended amid diplomatic tensions.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a SUSPENDER belt holding up trousers—it keeps them suspended, not letting them fall, just as a decision 'suspends' activity, holding it in place.
Conceptual Metaphor
A TEMPORARY STATE IS BEING HUNG (The project is suspended like a chandelier from the ceiling, not moving forward but fixed in place).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid directly translating as 'зависший' (which implies 'frozen/hanging' for computers). Use 'приостановленный' for activities or 'отстранённый' for people.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'suspended' for permanent termination (it's temporary). Confusing 'suspended' with 'expelled' (more permanent).
Practice
Quiz
In which context does 'suspended' primarily imply a punitive action?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. 'Suspended' means temporarily stopped, with the expectation it may continue. 'Cancelled' means permanently called off.
Yes, in a physical sense: 'The chandelier was suspended by a strong chain.'
A legal judgment where the punishment is not enforced provided the defendant meets certain conditions over a probation period.
'From' is most common: 'suspended from school/job/duty'.