repressive

[ri-pres-iv]

adjective

1. tending or serving to repress.

   repressive laws.

Other Word Forms

• repressively adverb
• repressiveness noun
• nonrepressive adjective
• unrepressive adjective
• unrepressively adverb
• unrepressiveness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of repressive¹

1375–1425; late Middle English < Medieval Latin repressīvus < Latin repress ( us ) ( repress ) + -īvus -ive

Example Sentences

Witt, who is Jewish and organized a recent protest against the investigation and “repressive” CSU free speech policies, felt that antisemitism was not a “major issue” on campus.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Forget placid if repressive fantasies of Adam’s rib.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

North Korea is one of the world's most repressive totalitarian states, with Kim and his family ruling the hermit nation for decades.

Read more on BBC

Advocates for LGBTQ+ rights said the U.S.’ repeated condemnation of “gender ideology” signals support for more repressive regimes.

Read more on Salon

Bosworth said it was incumbent on the left to address those repressive governments, particularly Venezuela, where more than 6 million people have fled political, economic and humanitarian crises in recent years.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• coercive 
• restrictive