Sign In Get Started
Prepositions after verbs

Suppress by or suppress in?

Suppress commonly uses by to show method or cause. In usually introduces a separate place or situation, not a fixed verb pattern.

Quick answer

Which preposition is used with suppress?

Use suppress by when you explain the method: suppress by force, suppress by medication. Use in only for location or context: suppress protests in the capital.

The revolt was suppressed by the army.
Symptoms can be suppressed by medication.
The government tried to suppress protests in several cities.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
suppress by + method

Showing how something is controlled

By introduces the means used to suppress something.

The fire was suppressed by foam.
Dissent was suppressed by strict laws.
2
suppress + noun in + place

Giving a location or context

In can describe where the suppression happens, but it is not selected by suppress itself.

Police suppressed demonstrations in the city centre.
The regime suppressed opposition in rural areas.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
suppress by
The infection was suppressed by antibiotics.
standard pattern for method or cause
suppress in
They suppressed unrest in the region.
in gives location or context, not a fixed pairing with suppress
suppress with
Doctors suppressed the pain with medication.
common alternative for tools or instruments

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using in as the method

Use by or with for the means of suppression.

✕ The noise was suppressed in special equipment. ✓ The noise was suppressed by special equipment.

Forgetting the object

Suppress normally needs something that is suppressed.

✕ The government suppressed by force. ✓ The government suppressed the protest by force.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The rebellion was suppressed ___ military force.
2. They suppressed unrest ___ the northern provinces.
3. Pain can be suppressed ___ medication.

Check your sentence in context

Paste the complete sentence below. Linguix checks the preposition together with grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style.

Free to try · No signup required

Frequently asked questions

Is suppress by correct?

Yes. It is a standard way to show the means or cause of suppression.

Is suppress in correct?

Only when in adds location or context, such as suppress protests in a city.

Can I say suppress with?

Yes. With is common when referring to tools, substances, or instruments.

sack, by, sack, for, sack, from "sacrifice for" or "sacrifice to"? sail from, in, for, to or through? "salvage from" or "salvage in"? sanction by, for, in, with or according? satisfy with, by, in, about or after? "saturate with" or "saturate in"? save by, for, from, on or in? "say in", "say about" or "say to"? "scan for", "scan in" or "scan through"? "scar by" or "scar on"? scatter in, across, around, throughout or on?

Write with confidence in Linguix

Create a free account to check complete texts, apply suggestions, and save your documents.

Create a free account