suspend

verb

sus·​pend sə-ˈspend How to pronounce suspend (audio)
suspended; suspending; suspends
Synonyms of suspendnext

transitive verb

1
: to debar temporarily especially from a privilege, office, or function
suspend a student from school
2
a
: to cause to stop temporarily
suspend bus service
b
: to set aside or make temporarily inoperative
suspend the rules
3
: to defer to a later time on specified conditions
suspend sentence
4
: to hold in an undetermined or undecided state awaiting further information
suspend judgment
suspend disbelief
5
a
: hang
especially : to hang so as to be free on all sides except at the point of support
suspend a ball by a thread
b
: to keep from falling or sinking by some invisible support (such as buoyancy)
dust suspended in the air
c
: to put or hold in suspension
suspended sediment
6
a
: to keep fixed or lost (as in wonder or contemplation)
b
: to keep waiting in suspense or indecision
7
: to hold (a musical note) over into the following chord

intransitive verb

1
: to cease operation temporarily
2
: to stop payment or fail to meet obligations
3
: hang

Did you know?

When something is suspended, it is "left hanging;" it is neither in full operation nor permanently ended. Suspense is a state of uncertainty and maybe anxiety. When we watch a play or movie, we enjoy experiencing a "suspension of disbelief;" that is, we allow ourselves to believe we're watching reality, even though we aren't truly fooled.Suspension can also mean physical hanging; thus, in a suspension bridge, the roadway actually hangs from huge cables. When some substance is "in suspension", its particles are "hanging" in another substance, mixed into it but not actually dissolved, like fine sand in water, or sea spray in the air at the seashore.

Synonyms

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Choose the Right Synonym for suspend

defer, postpone, suspend, stay mean to delay an action or proceeding.

defer implies a deliberate putting off to a later time.

deferred buying a car until spring

postpone implies an intentional deferring usually to a definite time.

the game is postponed until Saturday

suspend implies temporary stoppage with an added suggestion of waiting until some condition is satisfied.

business will be suspended while repairs are underway

stay often suggests the stopping or checking by an intervening agency or authority.

the governor stayed the execution

Examples of suspend in a Sentence

He was suspended from the team for missing too many practices. The police officers were suspended without pay for their conduct. The principal suspended the student from school for fighting. The city suspended bus service during the storm. The company was forced to suspend operations. They have suspended the peace talks. I advise suspending judgment until the investigation is over. Her license to practice law was suspended. We can suspend the rules just this once. He's driving with a suspended license.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
On May 11, Rollins suspended imports of live cattle, horses and bison across the southern border to combat the spread of screwworm. —Andrea Hsu, NPR, 30 May 2025 However on Thursday, a federal appeals court temporarily suspended the lower court's order, allowing the White House to continue collecting import levies for now. —Alia Shoaib, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 May 2025 The debt limit was last suspended by Congress as part of a bipartisan bill struck between former President Biden and GOP leadership in 2023, staving off the threat of national default through early 2025. —Aris Folley, The Hill, 30 May 2025 Through the large storefront window stands a digital display system known as the Chandelier, which, suspended from the ceiling, can tilt, rise and descend, or serve as an illuminated display feature. —Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 30 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for suspend

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French suspendre, from Latin suspendere, from sub-, sus- up + pendere to cause to hang, weigh

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of suspend was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing suspend

Rhymes for suspend

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Browse Nearby Words

suspecter
suspend
suspend between
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Suspend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/suspend. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

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Kids Definition

suspend

verb
sus·​pend sə-ˈspend How to pronounce suspend (audio)
1
: to force to give up some right or position for a time
suspend a student from school
2
a
: to stop or do away with for a time
suspend bus service
b
: to put off on certain conditions
suspend a lawbreaker's sentence
3
a
: to hang so as to be free on all sides except at the point of support
b
: to keep from falling or sinking by some invisible support
dust suspended in the air
c
: to put or hold in suspension
suspended sediment

Legal Definition

suspend

transitive verb
sus·​pend
1
: to debar temporarily from a privilege, office, or function
2
a
: to stop temporarily
suspend trading
b
: to make temporarily ineffective
suspend a license
c
: stay
suspend a hearing
d
: to defer until a later time see also suspended sentence at sentence

More from Merriam-Webster on suspend

Nglish: Translation of suspend for Spanish Speakers

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