suspension

suspension — noun

1. the act of making something stop temporarily, with the intention of allowing it

1.nounB2
Definition

the act of making something stop temporarily, with the intention of allowing it to continue later on

Example

The government ordered a suspension of all train services after the storm damaged the tracks.

suspension + of + noun phrase for stopping services

Minho's team faced a sudden suspension of funding while the university reviewed its budget.

suspension of funding for temporary halt

Common collocations
  • order a suspension
  • face a suspension
  • lead to the suspension
  • suspension of + noun
Synonyms
  • pause

    less formal and often shorter in duration

  • halt

    suggests a more sudden or forceful stop

  • moratorium

    formal, often used for laws or official activities

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

suspension + of + noun phrase

Usage Note

Typically followed by 'of' + the thing being stopped. Common with formal or official contexts such as government orders, company decisions, or organizational announcements.

Common Mistakes

The suspension of the class was because the teacher was sick.
The class was cancelled because the teacher was sick.
'suspension' implies a temporary stop with the intention to resume; cancellation is permanent.

2. the temporary removal of someone from a position, school, or team as a penalty f

2.nounB2
Definition

the temporary removal of someone from a position, school, or team as a penalty for breaking a rule or behaving badly

Example

The school gave Élise a three-day suspension for using her phone during exams.

give + someone + a suspension — common pattern with duration

Christopher received a one-week suspension from his job after he was caught stealing supplies.

receive a suspension from + institution

Common collocations
  • give someone a suspension
  • receive a suspension
  • face a suspension
  • under suspension
  • suspension from school/work
Synonyms
  • expulsion

    permanent removal, not temporary

  • ban

    can be temporary or permanent, often from an activity

  • exclusion

    less formal, not always a punishment

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

suspension + from + institution

give + someone + a suspension

Usage Note

Often specifies the duration (e.g., 'a three-day suspension') and the institution the person is removed from (e.g., 'suspension from school'). Frequently used with 'give', 'receive', or 'face'.

Common Mistakes

The teacher gave the student suspension.
The teacher gave the student a suspension.
usually requires an article ('a suspension') or a determiner.

3. the parts including springs and shock absorbers that attach a vehicle's wheels t

3.nounB2
Definition

the parts including springs and shock absorbers that attach a vehicle's wheels to its frame and make the ride less bumpy on uneven roads

Example

The mechanic told Tariro that her car's suspension needed new shock absorbers after the long trip.

possessive: car's suspension

The truck's air suspension kept the ride comfortable on the bumpy mountain roads.

Common collocations
  • car suspension
  • front/rear suspension
  • suspension system
  • broken suspension
  • replace the suspension
  • air suspension
Synonyms
  • shock absorbers

    a part of the suspension system, not the whole system

  • springs

    a component of suspension, not the entire system

Usage Note

Can be countable ('a new suspension') or uncountable ('the car needs suspension work'). Often modified by type: 'air suspension', 'spring suspension'.

4. a liquid mixture in which very small solid particles are spread throughout but n

4.nounC1
Definition

a liquid mixture in which very small solid particles are spread throughout but not dissolved, and may slowly sink to the bottom if left still

Example

The pharmacist shook the bottle of suspension before measuring the child's dose of medicine.

pharmaceutical context — suspension as medicine

Lien watched the particles in the suspension slowly settle at the bottom of the beaker.

particles in a suspension settle — key property

Common collocations
  • shake the suspension
  • particles in a suspension
  • suspension settles
  • oral suspension
  • chemical suspension
Synonyms
  • mixture

    broader term — a suspension is one type of mixture

  • colloid

    similar but particles stay suspended longer and do not settle

Antonyms
  • solution

    a mixture where the substance is fully dissolved

Usage Note

Common in medicine (liquid medications that must be shaken before use) and science (chemistry experiments). Unlike a solution, the particles in a suspension do not dissolve and will separate over time.

Common Mistakes

The salt dissolved in water to form a suspension.
The salt dissolved in water to form a solution.
if the substance dissolves, it is a solution; a suspension contains undissolved particles.

5. the act or state of hanging something from a fixed point above so that it can sw

5.nounB2
Definition

the act or state of hanging something from a fixed point above so that it can swing or move freely, or the device used for such hanging

Example

The suspension of the heavy chandelier from the church ceiling required thick steel cables.

suspension + of + object from + position

Adaeze built a simple suspension system for the plant pots using ropes and wooden rings.

Common collocations
  • suspension bridge
  • suspension cable
  • suspension system
  • suspension from the ceiling
Synonyms
  • hanging

    simpler, less technical term

  • dangling

    suggests loose, uncontrolled hanging

Antonyms
  • support

    holding up from below rather than hanging from above

Usage Note

This is the original physical meaning from which other senses developed. Today it appears most often in compound nouns like 'suspension bridge' or 'suspension cable'.

6. a stretch of time during which an activity, process, or decision is halted or de

6.nounB2
Definition

a stretch of time during which an activity, process, or decision is halted or deliberately put on hold

Example

The company announced a suspension of all new projects until the budget was approved.

announce a suspension of — formal pattern

During the suspension of the building work, the architects reviewed the safety plans.

during the suspension of — temporal frame

Common collocations
  • announce a suspension
  • under suspension
  • during the suspension
  • suspension of + noun
  • place under suspension
Synonyms
  • delay

    less formal; does not always imply intention to resume

  • postponement

    specifically rescheduling to a later date

  • adjournment

    formal, used for meetings or court sessions

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

suspension + of + noun phrase

during the suspension

Usage Note

Often used in formal, bureaucratic, or legal contexts. The focus is on the time during which something is inactive rather than on the act of stopping it. Compare with sense 1 (which focuses on the act of stopping).

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All five words describe a temporary stop, but they differ in context and duration. 'Suspension' (noun/1) is formal and implies an authority stops something that was in progress — often used for services, laws, or activities ('suspension of flights'). 'Postponement' suggests rescheduling to a later date ('the postponement of the wedding to July'). 'Delay' is the most general and can range from a few minutes to months; it does not always imply a firm plan to restart. 'Pause' is informal and suggests a short, often voluntary break ('a brief pause in the conversation'). 'Adjournment' is restricted to formal meetings or court hearings and means ending a session with the intention of continuing later. Example: 'The judge ordered an adjournment until Monday' but 'The train delay was only ten minutes'.

suspension ↗postponementdelay ↗pause ↗adjournment

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • under suspension
  • suspension of disbelief
  • in suspension

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

From Latin 'suspendere' — 'sub-' (from below) + 'pendere' (to hang). The original meaning was 'to hang from above'. By the 15th century, English had adopted it with both the physical hanging sense and the figurative meaning of 'temporary stop'. The vehicle suspension sense emerged in the early 20th century with the rise of automobiles.