Suspend

/səsˈpɛnd/

Synonyms for "suspend" (288 found)

Ranked by relevance and common usage.

Closest matches (58)

Strong matches (86)

Related words (144)

kick upstairslay asidelay bylay offlay overlet golet outliquidatemake redundantmake voidnullifyoustoverrideoverruleoverthrowpensionpension offpigeonholepostponeprocrastinate
Show 71 more words
prolongprorogateprorogueprotractpurgepurge awaypush asideput asideput offput on iceput upread out ofrecallrecantrecessrejectreleaseremoveremove from officerenegerepealreplacereprieverescindreserveretireretractreverserevokerule outsackseparate forciblyset asideset bysevershelveshift offshutsleep onslingsnap the threadstallstand overstave offstaystopstretch outstringstripstrip of officestrip of ranksuperannuatesurplusswingtabletake a breaktake a recessturn offturn outunchurchuncrownunfrockunsaddleunseatunthronevacatevoidwaivewithdrawwithholdwrite off
Noun(27 words)
Show 7 more words
state of stasisstay positionstaysstopsstringstollingtolling statute of limitations
Adjective(4 words)

Choosing the right synonym

  • Closest matches in this entry: abandoning, abolish, aborted, aborting, abrogate.
  • Sentence evidence is available for suspend, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
  • Ranking signals come from derived_reverse, moby, wordnet, opengloss, and related lexical sources.

Synonym selection checklist

  • Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
  • Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
  • Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "suspend".
  • Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.

When not to replace "suspend"

Keep "suspend" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.

If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.

Replacement workflow

1. Preserve meaning

Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "suspend" intact in the sentence you are editing.

2. Tune tone

Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.

3. Re-read context

Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.

Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.

Final fit check

After choosing a replacement for "suspend", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.

If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "suspend" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.

Related word relations

OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.

5 relation types

More general

26 entries

Showing 16 of 26 words.

More specific

4 entries
operational suspensionpolicy suspensionstayed proceedingstentative ruling

Collocations

6 entries
policy suspensionsuspension of accountsuspension of licensesuspension of operationssuspension of policysuspension period

Inflections

3 entries

Derivations

6 entries

Translations

6 translations across 4 languages.

Powered by Wiktionary

Dutch

1 entries
  • suspenderen verb (to create a suspension)

Finnish

2 entries
  • liettää verb (to create a suspension)
  • suspendoida verb (to create a suspension)

French

2 entries
  • mettre en suspension verb (to create a suspension)
  • suspendre verb (to create a suspension)

German

1 entries
  • suspendieren verb (to create a suspension)

Sample sentences

23 total sentences available.

Tatoeba + Wiktionary

Philosophy teaches us to feel uncertain about the things that seem to us self-evident. Propaganda, on the other hand, teaches us to accept as self-evident matters about which it would be reasonable to suspend our judgment or to feel doubt.

Source: tatoeba (690953)

O time, suspend your flight!

Source: tatoeba (1548587)

O time, suspend your flight! and you, happy hours, suspend your race: let us savor the fleeting delights of our fairest days!

Source: tatoeba (1548590)

Among so many actions committed by dictators, we can mention that: they suspend political activity, they suspend the rights of workers, they forbid strikes, they destroy the Supreme Court of Justice, they shutdown nighttime places of business, they censor the mass media, they burn thousands of books and magazines considered dangerous.

Source: tatoeba (2512980)

Showing 4 of 23 available sentences.

Common questions

What are the closest synonyms for "suspend"?

Closest matches include abandoning, abolish, aborted, aborting, abrogate.

How should I check whether a synonym fits "suspend"?

Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.

More for "suspend"