What is the difference between thermal overload protector and circuit breaker?

A suppressor regulates the voltage and makes the power constant in a case of a spike or surge . A protector simply detects the surge and turns the unit off. Suppressor is good for things like computers you don't want to keep turning on and off . Like computers in a dmv or office

But terms such as protector, arrestor, suppressor, regulator, limiter, and TVSS describe devices that can perform same or completely different functions. Regulated voltage may mean light bulbs dim or brighten by as much as 50%. Each device can be so different that numbers are required to say what it really does. Even a computer's power supply could be called a suppressor and protector since it does both functions within limits.

Most often TVSS, suppressor, arrestor, SPD, limiter, and protector are different Words for the same item. Those terms are too subjective to say more without details such as numbers.