SUSPEND Synonyms: 83 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'suspend' distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of suspend are defer , postpone , and stay . While all these words mean "to delay an action or proceeding," suspend implies temporary stoppage with an added suggestion of waiting until some condition is satisfied. // business will be suspended while repairs are underway

Q: When would 'defer' be a good substitute for 'suspend'?

While the synonyms defer and suspend are close in meaning, defer implies a deliberate putting off to a later time. // deferred buying a car until spring

Q: When can 'postpone' be used instead of 'suspend'?

Although the words postpone and suspend have much in common, postpone implies an intentional deferring usually to a definite time. // the game is postponed until Saturday

Q: When might 'stay' be a better fit than 'suspend'?

The synonyms stay and suspend are sometimes interchangeable, but stay often suggests the stopping or checking by an intervening agency or authority. // the governor stayed the execution

suspend

verb

sə-ˈspend

Definition of suspend next

as in to postpone

to bring to a formal close for a period of time the judge suspended the hearing to give the district attorney more time to process evidence

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to hang

to place on an elevated point without support from below suspended a banner proclaiming the town's "Heritage Days" from the archway

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word suspend distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of suspend are defer, postpone, and stay. While all these words mean "to delay an action or proceeding," suspend implies temporary stoppage with an added suggestion of waiting until some condition is satisfied.

business will be suspended while repairs are underway

When would defer be a good substitute for suspend?

While the synonyms defer and suspend are close in meaning, defer implies a deliberate putting off to a later time.

deferred buying a car until spring

When can postpone be used instead of suspend?

Although the words postpone and suspend have much in common, postpone implies an intentional deferring usually to a definite time.

the game is postponed until Saturday

When might stay be a better fit than suspend?

The synonyms stay and suspend are sometimes interchangeable, but stay often suggests the stopping or checking by an intervening agency or authority.

the governor stayed the execution

Examples Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of suspend If 200 members of parliament vote to impeach Yoon, the case will be escalated to the country’s Constitutional Court and he will be suspended from exercising his powers until the results of a trial. —

Dylan Butts, CNBC, 5 Dec. 2024 Upon taking office in January 2023, Gov. Katie Hobbs and Attorney General Kris Mayes, both Democrats, suspended capital punishment pending a review of Arizona's death penalty process. —

Jimmy Jenkins, The Arizona Republic, 5 Dec. 2024 Intel has been hemorrhaging money, laid off thousands, suspended its dividend to save cash, and has fallen deeply behind AI chip makers like Nvidia. —

John Kell, Fortune, 4 Dec. 2024 As the mixture is cooled in a mold, the gelatin proteins form a mesh-like network that traps liquid and suspends the other ingredients. —

Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 22 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for suspend

Recent Examples of Synonyms for suspend

Verb

And that is why, in order to get sustainable peace, Ukraine have to get security guarantees which not provide Russia opportunity just to postpone this goal, but to make Russia impossible to achieve this goal in future.

ABC NEWS, ABC News, 11 Dec. 2024
The defence team has repeatedly sought to postpone proceedings since the trial began, nearly five years ago, citing Israel's precarious defence situation since the 7 October Hamas attacks.

The Week UK, theweek, 11 Dec. 2024