Ground his planes vs Suspend

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Ground his planes

Beyond 10,000 (less common)

Suspend

Top 2,000 (common)B2verb
Most common: Suspend
 Ground his planesSuspend
Pronunciation🇬🇧 //ɡraʊnd hɪz pleɪnz//🇺🇸 //ɡraʊnd hɪz pleɪnz//🇬🇧 /["/səˈspend/","/səˈspendz/","/səˈspendɪd/","/səˈspendɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/səˈspend/","/səˈspendz/","/səˈspendɪd/","/səˈspendɪŋ/"]/
MeaningTo stop a pilot from flying their aircraft.To temporarily stop something.
ExampleThe airline had to ground his planes due to safety concerns.The school decided to suspend the student for three days due to his disruptive behavior.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonBeyond 10,000 (less common)Top 2,000 (common)
CEFR level-B2
Part of speechverb
Collocationsground planes, grounded aircraft, ground the fleet, ground due to weather, ground for safetyimmediately, indefinitely, temporarily, agree to, decide to, vote to, the power to suspend something, immediately, indefinitely, temporarily, agree to, decide to, vote to, the power to suspend something, automatically, formally, indefinitely, threaten to, for, from, pending, be suspended on full pay, be suspended with pay, be suspended without pay
Antonyms-continue, resume, proceed
Common mistakesConfused with 'grounded' which refers to being unable to fly due to personal or technical issues., Used incorrectly in non-aviation contexts., Omitted necessary context when discussing aircraft operations.Confused with 'suspense' — they are different terms., Using 'suspend' without an object, as it typically needs one., Mixing up the past tense form - 'suspended' instead of 'suspend' in the present.
Usage notesUsed primarily in aviation contexts. Appropriate in professional settings, but can also be used informally when discussing flight operations. Avoid in casual conversation unless discussing air travel.Use 'suspend' in formal contexts, like in meetings or legal situations. Avoid using it in casual conversations unless you're joking.

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Ground his planes

Frequently asked questions: Ground his planes vs Suspend

What's the difference between Ground his planes and Suspend?

Ground his planes: To stop a pilot from flying their aircraft. Suspend: To temporarily stop something.

Which is more common: Ground his planes and Suspend?

Suspend is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Ground his planes: The airline had to ground his planes due to safety concerns. Suspend: The school decided to suspend the student for three days due to his disruptive behavior.

Can I use Ground his planes and Suspend interchangeably?

Not always. Ground his planes and Suspend are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.

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