Suppressant: meaning, definitions and examples

Commonly used in medical and technical contexts to describe something that reduces or eliminates unwanted physiological or technical activity.

• Cough suppressants help to reduce coughing.
• The system uses a noise suppressant to improve sound quality.

Often used in scientific or chemical contexts to indicate something that slows down or stops a process or activity.

• An enzyme inhibitor can prevent certain chemical reactions in the body.
• Rust inhibitors help to prevent corrosion of metal surfaces.

Typically used to describe something that completely stops or obstructs action, often used in the context of sports or technology.

• A sun blocker prevents harmful UV rays from reaching your skin.
• The firewall acts as a blocker against cyber attacks.

Commonly used in a biological or genetic context to describe a substance that suppresses gene expression or activity.

• A repressor protein can bind to DNA and prevent gene transcription.
• In certain conditions, the presence of a repressor reduces the production of specific proteins.