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Synonyms

repressed

American  
[ri-prest] / rɪˈprɛst /

adjective

  1. subjected to, affected by, or characteristic of psychological repression.

    repressed emotional conflicts.
repressed British  
/ rɪˈprɛst /

adjective

  1. (of a person) repressing feelings, instincts, desires, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • nonrepressed adjective
  • unrepressed adjective

Etymology

Origin of repressed

First recorded in 1900–05; repress + -ed 2

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The uprising was repressed, leading to an exodus of two million Kurds to Iran and Turkey.

From Barron's • Mar. 7, 2026

But seeing the show, in which two athletes enter a loving relationship, stirred repressed feelings.

From BBC • Jan. 31, 2026

The effect of the metanarrative is to juxtapose Byron’s violent passions with the careful, repressed behavior of one who hoped to capture him in literature.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 26, 2025

It’s a snap of anger, repressed and now rising to the surface.

From Slate • Oct. 22, 2025

With a quiet motion, Calvin repressed the comment that was about to emerge from Kallner, and waited patiently.

From "I, Robot" by Isaac Asimov

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.