suppressed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "suppressed" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to the act of preventing something from being expressed, revealed, or made known. Example: "The information was suppressed by the authorities to avoid public panic."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Books

Opinion

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

There are quite a few poems I suppressed because they got her disapproval.

The Guardian

Put crudely, if growth is high and the returns on capital can be suppressed, you can have a more equal capitalism.

The Guardian - Books

You need evidence of a very real threat such as (violence and an accompanying police report) to have this information suppressed.

The Guardian - Tech

If true, it opens up a worrying development for news organisations covering wars and conflicts: now they could be targeted simply for reporting a side of the story that one party wants suppressed.

The Guardian

Dreiser, mythologising his debut, subsequently claimed that Doubleday had effectively suppressed his first novel.

The Guardian - Books

The Daily Telegraph's coverage of the HSBC story became the focus of attention following the resignation of its chief political commentator Peter Oborne, claiming the paper had deliberately suppressed stories about the banking giant and describing it as a "fraud on its readers".

The Guardian

If the market in data cannot be suppressed, how can it be controlled?

The Guardian - Opinion

Her affinity with pop stars, whose music she almost certainly never listened to, was a symptom of a barely suppressed Bohemianism beneath the slightly chipped veneer of a hen-keeping home counties lady.

The Guardian - Arts

The dictator Francisco Franco had Companys shot in 1940 and suppressed all regional aspirations for decades, but after his death Spain adopted a democratic constitution in 1978, which gave considerable autonomy to all 17 of the country's regions, including Catalonia.

The Guardian

When emotions are observed, not suppressed or amplified, they filter through quicker, leaving a smaller residue behind.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Treatment with a drug that suppressed the pathway, known as "Wnt", restored the ability of neurons affected by the disease to develop normally.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "suppressed" to describe the act of preventing something from being expressed or made known, especially when referring to information, emotions, or actions. It often implies a deliberate effort to control or restrain.

Common error

While both words involve holding something back, "repressed" typically refers to unconscious psychological processes, whereas "suppressed" implies a more conscious and deliberate action. Use "repressed" when discussing unconscious desires or memories and "suppressed" for intentional acts of restraint.

Linguistic Context

The word "suppressed" functions primarily as a verb in the past tense or as a past participle. It indicates that an action of restraining, inhibiting, or preventing something has been completed. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, this is a common and correct usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

15%

Less common in

Books

10%

Opinion

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "suppressed" is a grammatically sound and frequently used verb form, indicating that something has been intentionally restrained or prevented. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and common usage across various contexts. Its application spans from describing the stifling of dissent in political contexts to the control of emotions in personal narratives. Related terms include "repressed", "stifled", and "held back", each offering subtle differences in meaning. When using "suppressed", it's important to be mindful of its connotations of control and restraint, and to choose it over "repressed" when referring to conscious actions rather than unconscious processes. Ludwig's analysis highlights its prevalence in news, formal business communications and scientific writing, demonstrating its versatility and importance in conveying nuanced meanings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

repressed

Similar to "suppressed", but often refers to emotions or desires.

stifled

Suggests smothering or preventing full development or expression.

held back

This alternative focuses on the act of keeping something back from being expressed or revealed.

smothered

Suggests covering something up completely, preventing its expression.

kept in check

This implies maintaining control and preventing something from escalating or becoming overt.

stamped out

Implies forceful suppression, often of dissent or rebellion.

muzzled

Implies silencing or preventing someone from speaking freely.

curtailed

Emphasizes reducing or restricting something.

kept under wraps

Focuses on keeping something secret or hidden.

bottled up

Refers to containing emotions or feelings internally.

FAQs

How can I use "suppressed" in a sentence?

You can use "suppressed" to describe actions like "The government "suppressed the protest"" or to describe emotions like "He "suppressed his anger"".

What words can I use instead of "suppressed"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "repressed", "stifled", or "held back".

Is it better to say "suppressed" or "censored"?

"Suppressed" generally means to prevent something from being expressed or revealed, while "censored" specifically refers to the removal or prohibition of content deemed objectionable. Use "censored" when content is being directly removed or altered by an authority.

What is the difference between "suppressed" and "repressed"?

"Suppressed" usually refers to consciously holding back something, like an emotion or information. "Repressed", on the other hand, often describes unconscious psychological mechanisms. The phrase "repressed memories" for example, indicates memories that are unconsciously blocked from awareness.