First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
suppress
transitive verb sup·press \sə-ˈpres\
: to end or stop (something) by force
: to keep (something) secret : to not allow people to know about or see (something)
: to not allow yourself to feel, show, or be affected by (an emotion)
Full Definition of SUPPRESS
1
: to put down by authority or force : subdue <suppress a riot>
2
: to keep from public knowledge: as a : to keep secret b : to stop or prohibit the publication or revelation of <suppress the test results>
3
a : to exclude from consciousness b : to keep from giving vent to : check <suppressed her anger>
4
obsolete : to press down
5
a : to restrain from a usual course or action <suppress a cough> b : to inhibit the growth or development of
6
: to inhibit the genetic expression of <suppress a mutation>
— sup·press·ibil·i·ty \-ˌpre-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun
— sup·press·ible \-ˈpre-sə-bəl\ adjective
— sup·pres·sive \-ˈpre-siv\ adjective
— sup·pres·sive·ness \-nəs\ noun
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Origin of SUPPRESS
Middle English, from Latin suppressus, past participle of supprimere, from sub- + premere to press — more at press
Related to SUPPRESS
Other Psychology Terms
Rhymes with SUPPRESS
abscess, access, address, aggress, assess, bench-press, caress, clothespress, coatdress, cold-press, compress, confess, cross-dress, CS, depress, de-stress, digress, distress, drill press, egress, excess, express, finesse, fluoresce, French press, full-dress, handpress, headdress, housedress, idlesse, impress, ingress, Meknes, much less, nightdress, noblesse, no less, obsess, oppress, outguess, possess, precess, prestress, princess, process, profess, progress, recess, redress, regress, re-press, repress, shirtdress, side-dress, SS, success, sundress, tendresse, top-dress, transgress, undress, unless, web press, winepress, word stress
SUPPRESS Defined for Kids
suppress
verb sup·press \sə-ˈpres\
sup·pressedsup·press·ing
Definition of SUPPRESS for Kids
1
: to put down (as by authority or force) : subdue <Police suppressed a riot.>
2
: to hold back : repress <The girls could hardly suppress a smile.>
Medical Dictionary
suppress
transitive verb sup·press \sə-ˈpres\
Medical Definition of SUPPRESS
1
: to exclude from consciousness <suppressed anxiety>
2
: to restrain from a usual course or action <suppress a cough>
3
: inhibit 2 <suppresses the human immune response—Josie Glausiusz>; especially : to inhibit the genetic expression of <suppress a mutation>
—sup·press·ibil·i·ty \-ˌpres-ə-ˈbil-ət-ē\ noun, plural sup·press·ibil·i·ties
—sup·press·ible \-ˈpres-ə-bəl\ adjective
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