repress

re·press

verb \ri-ˈpres\

Definition of REPRESS

transitive verb

1

a : to check by or as if by pressure : curb <injustice was repressed> b : to put down by force : subdue <repress a disturbance>

2

a : to hold in by self-control <repressed a laugh> b : to prevent the natural or normal expression, activity, or development of <repressed her anger>

3

: to exclude from consciousness <repressed the memory of abuse>

4

: to inactivate (a gene or formation of a gene product) by allosteric combination at a DNA binding site

intransitive verb

: to take repressive action

— re·press·ibil·i·ty \-ˌpre-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun

— re·press·ible \-ˈpre-sə-bəl\ adjective

— re·pres·sive \-ˈpre-siv\ adjective

— re·pres·sive·ly adverb

— re·pres·sive·ness noun

Examples of REPRESS

1. Religious groups were severely repressed.
2. <quickly repressed the rebellion in the provincial city and restored order>

Origin of REPRESS

Middle English, from Anglo-French represser, from Latin repressus, past participle of reprimere to check, from re- + premere to press — more at press

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to REPRESS

Synonyms: clamp down (on), crack down (on), crush, put down, quash, quell, silence, slap down, snuff (out), squash, squelch, subdue, suppress

Related Words: douse (also dowse), extinguish, put out, quench; smother, stifle, strangle, throttle; annihilate, decimate, demolish, desolate, destroy, devastate, nuke, rub out, ruin, smash, waste, wreck; exterminate, obliterate, wipe out; conquer, dominate, overcome, overpower, overwhelm, subdue, subjugate, vanquish

Near Antonyms: abet, aid, assist, back, help, prop up, support; foment, incite, instigate, provoke, stir, whip (up); advance, cultivate, encourage, forward, foster, further, nourish, nurture, promote

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Rhymes with REPRESS

abscess, access, address, aggress, assess, bench-press, caress, clothespress, coatdress, cold-press, compress, confess, cross-dress, CS, depress, de-stress, digress, distress, drill press, egress, excess, express, finesse, fluoresce, French press, full-dress, handpress, headdress, housedress, idlesse, impress, ingress, Meknes, much less, nightdress, noblesse, no less, obsess, oppress, outguess, possess, precess, prestress, princess, process, profess, progress, recess, redress, regress, re-press, shirtdress, side-dress, SS, success, sundress, suppress, tendresse, top-dress, transgress, undress, unless, web press, winepress, word stress