repression
Americannoun
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the act of repressing; state of being repressed.
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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.
noun
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the act or process of repressing or the condition of being repressed
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psychoanal the subconscious rejection of thoughts and impulses that conflict with conventional standards of conduct See suppression
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.
Vocabulary lists containing repression
"The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin
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"The Story of an Hour"
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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., "Beyond Vietnam" (1967)
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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 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
His history of repression is unlikely to be of much concern to Washington, said Michael Singh, a former U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026
Singh and other Sikh activists are urging the council to appoint an expert to investigate transnational repression, or for existing special rapporteurs to focus more on the issue.
From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026
He and fellow student Valentina Scaloni, 24, don't agree with the principle of US intervention but feel it was necessary to achieve freedom after years of repression by the government.
From BBC • Mar. 17, 2026
“I will maintain this repression firmly, but without forgetting that it applies to soldiers who have been in the trenches with us for three years and who are our soldiers.”
From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman
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.
