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adjectivenounothernoun

suspendu

hang · suspend · hanging

Qui est accroché en l’air et ne touche pas le sol.

Definition & meaning

Suspendu is the masculine singular form of the French past participle and adjective suspendre. Its meaning depends on context:

  • Hanging or suspended: something is held up, often from above.
    Un lustre suspendu means “a hanging chandelier.”
  • Paused, put on hold, or temporarily stopped: an activity or service has been interrupted.
    Le service est suspendu means “The service is suspended.”
  • Suspended from a role, job, or institution: someone has been temporarily barred from their position or duties.
    Il a été suspendu de ses fonctions means “He was suspended from his duties.”
  • In suspense or uncertain: in expressions such as être suspendu à une décision (“to await a decision anxiously”), it suggests that an outcome depends on something still unresolved.

It can also be used as a noun in some contexts, for example un suspendu, a hanging light fixture.

Grammar & Word origin

Suspendu is the masculine singular past participle of suspendre (“to suspend, hang, or interrupt”). It can function as part of a verb tense or as an adjective.

Its forms are suspendue (feminine singular), suspendus (masculine plural), and suspendues (feminine plural). It comes from Latin suspendere, meaning “to hang up” or “to interrupt.”

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms depend on the sense:

  • For something hanging: pendu means “hanging” and is more directly about being suspended from a point; accroché means “hung” or “attached,” emphasizing how it is supported.
  • For an activity temporarily stopped: interrompu means “interrupted,” while reporté specifically means “postponed.”
  • For a person barred from duties: écarté means “removed” or “kept out,” but does not necessarily imply a temporary disciplinary measure.

Possible antonyms also depend on context:

  • For something hanging: posé [?](vocabuo://word/posé] means “placed” or “set down.”
  • For an activity put on hold: repris [?](vocabuo://word/repris] means “resumed.”
  • For someone suspended from a position: réintégré [?](vocabuo://word/réintégré] means “reinstated.”

Common phrases & collocations

  • être suspendu au plafond — to be suspended from the ceiling
  • un permis suspendu — a suspended licence
  • une séance suspendue — a session that has been suspended
  • être suspendu à une décision — to be waiting anxiously for a decision

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Examples

Jean a suspendu son manteau.adjective

Jean hung his coat.

Les ponts suspendus offrent une vue impressionnante sur la vallée.adjective

Suspended bridges offer an impressive view of the valley.

Une lampe suspendue éclaire la table.adjective

A hanging lamp lights up the table.

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