# suspended

/səˈspɛndɪd/ (US) · /səspˈɛndɪd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/suspended
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. to stop something temporarily

verb · CEFR B2

to stop an activity, a rule, or a service for a short time.

For teachers: to temporarily prevent from continuing or being in force. Transitive; often used in passive constructions regarding official procedures.

- The train service was suspended for two hours because of the heavy snow.
- The government suspended the trade agreement indefinitely following the breakdown of diplomatic negotiations between the two nations.

### 2. to hang from above

verb · CEFR B2

to hang something from a high place so it does not touch the ground.

For teachers: to hang something from a support so that it is free on all sides except at the point of attachment.

- A large crystal lamp was suspended from the ceiling in the middle of the room.
- The architect designed a bridge that appeared to be suspended by invisible cables, creating a striking silhouette against the city skyline.

### 3. to punish by removal

verb · CEFR B2 · Formal

to officially tell someone they cannot go to work or school for a while as a punishment.

For teachers: to debar temporarily from a privilege, office, or function as a disciplinary measure.

- The student was suspended for three days after he broke the school rules.
- The professional athlete was suspended for the remainder of the season after testing positive for a prohibited substance.

### 4. floating in liquid or air

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

when small pieces of a solid stay floating in a liquid or in the air without sinking.

For teachers: referring to particles dispersed throughout the bulk of a fluid medium but not dissolved. Often used in the phrase 'suspended solids'.

- The water looked cloudy because of the suspended sand particles.
- The laboratory analysis revealed high levels of suspended particulate matter, suggesting that the filtration system was failing to meet safety standards.

### 5. a type of musical chord

adjective · CEFR C2 · Technical

a chord where one note is changed to create a feeling of tension.

For teachers: describing a chord in which the third is omitted and replaced with a major second or a perfect fourth, creating a dissonance that typically requires resolution.

- The song uses a suspended chord to make the music sound more dramatic.
- The composer frequently employed suspended fourths to delay the harmonic resolution, heightening the emotional tension of the final movement.

## Examples

- The referee suspended the match because of the heavy rain.
- The school board decided to suspend the student for three days following the incident in the hallway.
- The committee chose to suspend the investigation until new evidence could be properly catalogued and reviewed by the legal team.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.