repressed
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of repressed
Explanation
If something is repressed, it's restrained or held in. You may be full of repressed anger toward your brother over that terrifying incident from four years ago involving the frog and your hooded sweatshirt... The adjective repressed often describes emotions, desires, or memories, especially those that are embarrassing, shameful, or scary. When an emotion is repressed, it's held inside so that you don’t have to show how you feel — or even admit to yourself how you feel. In fact, repressed emotions are those feelings that you unconsciously avoid. For example, you might not realize that you have a repressed longing for that last piece of birthday cake in the pantry. A person who has many pent-up feelings is generally said to be repressed.
Vocabulary lists containing repressed
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
President Obama's Speech at the United Nations
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
“They have to repress themselves. So they want others to be repressed as well. ‘How dare you live outside of this box and have freedom of choice and a comfortable, fun, beautiful life?”
From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026
In the 1980s, Iraq's late ruler Saddam Hussein, who repressed the Shia population, went to war with the Islamic republic.
From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026
It has also sent Daphne into her memories, some of them long repressed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026
You contextualize learned behavior; you contextualize trauma and things they learned that make them these repressed adults.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 23, 2026
My lips trembled but I repressed my tears.
From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein
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.
