repression

American  

[ri-presh-uhn] / rɪˈprɛʃ ən /

noun

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

• nonrepression noun

Etymology

Origin of repression

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

Under pressure from Washington to ease repression, she has pushed through several major economic reforms, as well as an amnesty for political prisoners.

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026

Meta's Oversight Board warned that expanding the model outside the United States could pose "significant human rights risks and contribute to tangible harms" to people living under repression or conflict.

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

Israeli strikes have inflicted havoc on the Islamic Republic’s internal repression apparatus.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

The country’s most vocal activists fled the island after Cuba’s repression of the nationwide protest on July 11, 2021 — the ones in which Duannis Taboada marched.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 29, 2026

And in the larger society, too, the cost of repression becomes another factor weighing against the expansion or restoration of needed services.

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

Related Words

• oppression
• suppression