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

Example Sentences

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Recent Examples of suspend His account on Twitter, now X, was also suspended after the Capitol riot. —

April Rubin, Axios, 29 Jan. 2025 Following the allegations that surfaced last summer, several movie and television productions based on Gaiman’s work have been suspended. —

Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 29 Jan. 2025 Instead, the exfoliating beads are suspended in a cloud-like gel that makes scrubbing more comfortable. —

Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 29 Jan. 2025 The University of South Carolina athletic department announced Sunday that the women's basketball team's arena DJ has been suspended for one game for the choice of music played at the end of the Gamecocks' win over LSU on Friday. —

CBS News, 28 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for suspend

Recent Examples of Synonyms for suspend

Verb

But Goodman suffered a cut over his left eye while training, and that match was postponed until January 24.

— Josh Katzowitz, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025
With those factors taken into consideration, the NBA postponed the game, with no date currently set for the game to be made up.

— Ryan Canfield, Fox News, 22 Jan. 2025