suppressant

noun

sup·​pres·​sant sə-ˈpre-sᵊnt How to pronounce suppressant (audio)
: an agent (such as a drug) that tends to suppress or reduce in intensity rather than eliminate something

Examples of suppressant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The drugs are increasingly being used as an appetite suppressant by people looking to lose weight. — Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 25 Mar. 2026 Cough Suppressants Dextromethorphan is a cough suppressant that acts on the brain to reduce coughing. — Karen Berger, Verywell Health, 5 Feb. 2026 Although that suppressant was phased out and replaced with a formula with far less chromium, lab testing has confirmed that the heavy metal is still a key ingredient. — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026 Besides modulating your emotions, serotonin also acts as a natural appetite suppressant, so a lack thereof can trigger overeating. — Caroline Tien, SELF, 15 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for suppressant

Word History

First Known Use

1884, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of suppressant was in 1884

Rhymes for suppressant

See All Rhymes for suppressant

Browse Nearby Words

suppress
suppressant
suppressed inflation
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Suppressant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/suppressant. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

suppressant

noun
sup·​pres·​sant sə-ˈpres-ᵊnt How to pronounce suppressant (audio)
: an agent (as a drug) that tends to suppress or reduce in intensity rather than eliminate something
a cough suppressant

Medical Definition

suppressant

1 of 2 adjective
sup·​press·​ant sə-ˈpres-ᵊnt How to pronounce suppressant (audio)
: suppressive

suppressant

2 of 2 noun
: an agent (as a drug) that tends to suppress or reduce in intensity rather than eliminate something
a cough suppressant
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All