Cantilever　structures　are　widely　used　in　the　field　of　aerospace　engineering.　It　is　very　important　to　restrain　the　vibration　of　these　structures　because　of　their　resonance　behavior　under　external　excitation.　The　Nonlinear　Energy　Sink　(NES),　which　is　characterized　by　light　weight,　targeted　energy　transfer　and　high　damping　efficiency,　can　be　used　in　the　design　of　vibration　suppression　of　aerospace　structures.　In　this　paper,　the　vibration　reduction　of　cantilever　rectangular　plates　using　the　NES　is　studied.　Considering　the　classic　Kirchhoff　plate　model,　the　dynamic　equation　of　the　thin　plate　coupled　with　the　NES　is　established,　and　the　response　of　the　structure　in　the　first　order　transverse　bending　is　studied　by　modal　truncation.　The　damping　effect　of　the　NES　under　different　parameters　is　analyzed.　It　is　found　that　the　NES　is　sensitive　to　the　response　position　of　the　structure　and　has　the　maximum　effect　of　vibration　reduction　at　the　position　with　the　maximum　displacement　response,　which　can　provide　some　theoretical　support　for　the　cantilever　structure　in　engineering　application.　©　2019,　Nanjing　Univ.　of　Aeronautics　an　Astronautics.　All　right　reserved.