repression

American  

[ri-presh-uhn] / rɪˈprɛʃ ən /

noun

• repressions
  plural

1. the act of repressing; state of being repressed.

2. Psychology, Psychoanalysis. the rejection from consciousness of painful or disagreeable ideas, memories, feelings, or impulses.

   Freud's approach to interpreting early memories emphasizes what is forgotten through the mechanism of repression.

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repression British  

noun

1. the act or process of repressing or the condition of being repressed

2. psychoanal the subconscious rejection of thoughts and impulses that conflict with conventional standards of conduct See suppression

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonrepression
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• repressions
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of repression

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English repressioun, from Medieval Latin repressiōn- (stem of repressiō ), Late Latin: “suppression”; see repress, -ion

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Explanation

Repression is a kind of holding back or holding down. There's repression of feelings (willing yourself not to cry), as well as social repression (where the government limits freedom or shuts out certain groups). Repression is like suppression: you restrain, inhibit, or subdue something. Not allowing women to vote is a perfect example of political repression. If you have trouble expressing your feelings and keep things bottled up, then emotional repression is a big part of your personality. People often turn to repression because they're scared of what will happen if they say what's on their mind. Unfortunately, political and emotional repression can often lead to anger and even violence.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

repression repressions

To play Sebastian, Guitarrica had to immerse himself in the character’s emotional repression, from which music is his only escape.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026

"We stand in solidarity with the high schools that are worse off. We need real measures and proper dialogue, not repression," said 16-year-old pupil Emeline.

From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026

Crowds of teenagers marched from the Place de la République in Paris, calling for more resources for schools, and what they called less repression from police.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

Bianco thinks the era of financial repression has given investors a distorted view of what returns they should expect from stocks and bonds.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 30, 2026

For years after the American Revolution, the public opposed the creation of police departments, fearing that they would become forces of repression.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

Vladimir not only uses his art to comment on the present, but to shine a light on Russia's dark past - the repressions of the Stalin era.

From BBC ● Mar. 13, 2024

The tradition to read them aloud once a year in front of a monument to victims of Soviet repressions — called “Returning the Names” — was started in 2007 and once attracted thousands of people.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 20, 2024

All over the country, people are laying flowers at memorials to Soviet repressions.

From New York Times ● Feb. 19, 2024

"We are seeing extremely worrying developments where activists all over the world are experiencing increased repressions just for fighting for our present and our future," the 20-year-old Thunberg said.

From Reuters ● Jun. 22, 2023

By disparagement, by starvation, by repressions, forced direction, and the stunning hammerblows of conditioning, the free, roving mind is being pursued, roped, blunted, drugged.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck

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Related Words

• oppression
• suppression

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