Suppress — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

Suppress (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

1. to keep from being publicly known

   "the government tried to suppress the truth about that incident"

   similar: burke, cover (up), hush (up)
   related: black out, censor, gag, muzzle, silence, quash, repress, smother, spike, squash, squelch, stifle, strangle, throttle
   near: debunk, expose, reveal, show up, uncloak, uncover, unmask, blab, disclose, divulge, spill, tell, unveil, broadcast, circulate, publish, spread, describe, narrate, recite, recount, rehearse, relate, report

2. to refrain from openly showing or uttering

   "he managed to suppress a scream at the sight of the dead mouse"

   "suppressed her anger"

   similar: choke (back), hold back, pocket, repress, sink, smother, stifle, strangle, submerge, swallow
   related: control, govern, manage, bridle, check, curb, quash, quell, bottle up, contain, muffle, squelch
   near: express, loose, release, take out, unleash, vent

3. to hold back the normal growth of

   "pruning helps suppress buds at the ends of developed branches and encourages new growth elsewhere"

   similar: dwarf, stunt
   related: arrest, catch, check, halt, hold up, stall, stay, still, stop, balk, block, hold back, impede, obstruct, stem, diminish, downsize, shrink
   near: advance, boost, encourage, forward, foster, nourish, nurture, promote

4. to put a stop to (something) by the use of force

   "nothing could suppress the rising tide of protest against the dictator's latest injustices"

   similar: clamp down (on), crack down (on), crush, put down, quash, quell, repress, silence, slap down, snuff (out), squash, squelch, subdue, sit on
   related: douse, extinguish, put out, quench, smother, stifle, strangle, throttle, annihilate, decimate, demolish, desolate, destroy, devastate, nuke, rub out, ruin, smash, waste, wreck, exterminate, obliterate, wipe out, conquer, dominate, overcome, overpower, overwhelm, subjugate, vanquish
   near: abet, aid, assist, back, help, prop up, support, foment, incite, instigate, provoke, stir, whip (up), advance, cultivate, encourage, forward, foster, further, nourish, nurture, promote

5. to keep secret or shut off from view

   "the defense attorney is openly accusing the prosecutor of attempting to suppress vital evidence"

   similar: belie, blanket, blot out, cloak, conceal, cover, curtain, disguise, enshroud, hide, mask, obscure, occult, paper over, screen, shroud, veil
   related: bury, camouflage, cover (up), smother, gild, gloss (over), varnish, whitewash, becloud, bedim, befog, block, cloud, darken, eclipse, obstruct, occlude, overcast, overshadow, shade
   opposite: bare, disclose, display, divulge, expose, reveal, show, uncloak, uncover, unmask, unveil
   near: bring out, present, clarify, illuminate, advertise, air, broadcast, get out, proclaim, publicize, publish, spread