repression
noun
re·pres·sion
ri-ˈpre-shən 
1
a
: the action or process of repressing : the state of being repressed
repression of unpopular opinions
b
: an instance of repressing
racial repressions
2
a
: a mental process by which distressing thoughts, memories, or impulses that may give rise to anxiety are excluded from consciousness and left to operate in the unconscious
b
: an item so excluded
Examples of repression in a Sentence
the state's repression of its citizens
They survived 60 years of political repression.
Recent Examples on the Web
Corrales says Venezuelans are exhausted and fearful of government repression.
—
Carrie Kahn, NPR, 18 Dec. 2025
After the Cold War, conditions on aid, trade access, and diplomatic engagement continued to reward reform and isolate repression.
—Nic Cheeseman, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Kast — who will be Chile’s most right-wing president since the fall of dictator Augusto Pinochet in 1990 — has vowed to deport all undocumented migrants, including thousands of Venezuelans who have flocked to Chile to escape economic freefall and political repression back home.
—Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 15 Dec. 2025
Both the election and the response to the fire suggest that Hong Kong is moving ever closer to Beijing’s system of repression, which meets crises not with transparency and reform but with threats and censorship.
—Timothy McLaughlin, The Atlantic, 13 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for repression
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Carrie Kahn, NPR, 18 Dec. 2025
After the Cold War, conditions on aid, trade access, and diplomatic engagement continued to reward reform and isolate repression.
—Nic Cheeseman, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Kast — who will be Chile’s most right-wing president since the fall of dictator Augusto Pinochet in 1990 — has vowed to deport all undocumented migrants, including thousands of Venezuelans who have flocked to Chile to escape economic freefall and political repression back home.
—Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 15 Dec. 2025
Both the election and the response to the fire suggest that Hong Kong is moving ever closer to Beijing’s system of repression, which meets crises not with transparency and reform but with threats and censorship.
—Timothy McLaughlin, The Atlantic, 13 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for repression
Cite this Entry
“Repression.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/repression. Accessed 20 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
repression
noun
re·pres·sion
ri-ˈpresh-ən
1
: the act of repressing : the state of being repressed
2
: a process of the mind by which painful or disturbing thoughts or desires are kept from conscious awareness
Medical Definition
repression
noun
re·pres·sion
ri-ˈpresh-ən
1
: the action or process of repressing
gene repression
2
a
: a process by which unacceptable desires or impulses are excluded from consciousness and left to operate in the unconscious compare suppression sense c
b
: an item so excluded
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