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

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

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

It took the 1951 Treasury-Fed Accord to dismantle the cap, followed by years of financial repression that quietly taxed a generation of savers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026

“The signal matters: attempts to contain borrowing costs without addressing the underlying fiscal imbalance may fuel concerns about financial repression and currency debasement,” said Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

"No one had ever dared do that," said political scientist Luis Salamanca, who noted that up until recently, such statements would have invited harsh political repression.

From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026

Manuel Orozco, an analyst at the Washington-based think tank Inter-American Dialogue, said another reason is the perception that Nicaragua, despite widespread political repression and poverty, is relatively stable.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026

It is a tragic cycle, condemning us to ever deeper inequality, and in the long run, almost no one benefits but the agents of repression themselves.

From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich

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

She predicted that while “it’s unlikely that there will be massive repressions against ‘angry patriots,’ … the most vehement dissenters may face prosecution, serving as a cautionary tale for others.”

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 21, 2023

“The repressions have destroyed procedural and professional guarantees for lawyers’ activities, resulting in the effective destruction of legal defense in the country.”

From Washington Times ● Jun. 18, 2023

"We have observed an increase in repressions everywhere. Some leaders have been stopped on the way, they were not allowed to pass," he said.

From Reuters ● Jan. 19, 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

Related Words

• oppression
• suppression