suction

suction — noun

1. the physical effect that happens when air is removed from an enclosed space, cre

1.nounB2
Definition

the physical effect that happens when air is removed from an enclosed space, creating lower pressure that pulls liquids, gases, or objects into that space or makes surfaces press tightly together

Example

The vacuum cleaner creates strong suction that pulls dirt and dust from the carpet.

creates suction + object (dirt, dust)

Sivan pressed the hook onto the bathroom wall until the suction held it in place.

suction holds objects against a surface

Common collocations
  • suction cup
  • suction pump
  • suction tube
  • suction hose
  • suction force
  • vacuum suction
  • suction pressure
  • by suction
  • through suction
Synonyms
  • vacuum

    refers to the empty space with no matter, whereas 'suction' is the force created by the pressure difference

  • pull

    more general; any drawing force, not specifically from pressure difference

  • drawing force

    more descriptive and less concise

Antonyms
  • pressure

    positive force that pushes outward rather than pulling inward

  • push

    opposite direction of force

Usage Note

Uncountable noun; do not use with 'a' or in plural form. Used in both everyday contexts (straws, suction cups) and technical ones (pumps, medical equipment).

Common Mistakes

I heard a loud suction.
I heard a loud sucking sound.
'suction' is an uncountable process, not a loud sound.
There were many suctions on the surface.
There were many suction cups on the surface.
'suction' is uncountable; describe the physical objects instead.

suction — verb

Word family

  • suck
    verbB1
  • sucker
    nounC1
  • suctional
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These four words describe related but distinct concepts. 'Suction' (B2, less common) specifically refers to the force or process created by a pressure difference — it is the technical term for what happens when air is removed from a space. 'Vacuum' (B2, common) describes the empty space itself or a device that creates it; you can have a vacuum without suction if the space stays sealed. 'Pull' (A2, very common) is a far more general word for any drawing force applied to an object — it does not require a pressure difference. 'Sucking' (B1, common) is the everyday word for the same action: you suck through a straw, but a vacuum cleaner uses suction. Use 'suction' in technical or formal descriptions (medical procedures, pump mechanics), 'vacuum' when referring to the empty space or the cleaning device, 'sucking' in casual speech, and 'pull' when the mechanism is not important.

suction ↗vacuum ↗pull ↗sucking

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • suction effect
  • suction mechanism
  • loss of suction
  • suction power

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Suction comes from the Latin word 'suctio', meaning 'a sucking', which traces back to the verb 'sugere' (to suck). The word entered English in the early 1600s, and its scientific meaning developed during the 17th century as physicists like Evangelista Torricelli studied vacuum and atmospheric pressure.