In music theory, a suspension is a nonchord tone that occurs when the harmony shifts from one chord to another, but one or more notes of the first chord are held over, suspended, into the second but then resolved to a chord tone. See also: suspended chord, which contains a suspension which does not resolve.

Suspensions are given numbers corresponding to the intervals of the suspended and resolving notes. Ie a 6-5 suspension would be the sixth note of the chord resolving to the fifth.

Contrast with anticipation.