Synonyms

repressive

American

[ri-pres-iv] / rɪˈprɛs ɪv /

adjective

tending or serving to repress.

repressive laws.

Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of repressive

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

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.

In spite of the increasing tools being used by repressive regimes, Woodward is surprisingly optimistic about the future of internet.

From BBC

In Guatemala, a country historically marked by extreme inequality, a broad coalition formed in 1944 to overthrow its repressive dictatorship in a popular uprising.

From Los Angeles Times

But hidden behind that repressive control is the growing fear of the Islamic Republic, unable to meet its people's most basic demands: protection from foreign attacks, and prosperity at home.

From BBC

The nation of 100 million people is both a repressive one-party state and a regional economic bright spot, with the party seeking to deliver rapid expansion to underpin its claim to legitimacy.

From Barron's

Where are the demands for justice and freedom for the downtrodden victims of a brutally repressive state?

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023