Suppresses

Suppresses is the third-person singular present form of the verb suppress. Suppress means to prevent something from being expressed, to end something, to restrain its operation, or to prevent its dissemination. The term comes from Latin suppremere (sub- “under” + premere “to press”), entering English via Old French and Middle English. In general use, suppression refers to the act or process of holding back or inhibiting something, while suppressed describes something that has been held back or restrained.

Common domains where suppression is discussed include law, medicine, technology, and psychology. In law, suppression refers to rules that exclude evidence obtained improperly from a case. In medicine, suppression can mean reducing or stopping symptoms, such as fever, or dampening immune responses through drugs. In technology and communications, suppression involves limiting output, concealing signals, or quieting warnings. In psychology, suppression denotes a conscious, deliberate withholding of thoughts or feelings, in contrast to repression, which is typically unconscious.

Ethical and political considerations frequently accompany suppression, particularly when it is used to withhold information or mute dissent, leading to charges of censorship. In data handling, suppression can also refer to the intentional hiding of sensitive values to protect privacy or to reduce identifiability. Related terms include suppression (noun), suppressor, and suppressive. See also suppression as a broader concept in information control and behavioral regulation.