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

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

re·press

transitive verb \ri-ˈpres\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of REPRESS

1

: to exclude from consciousness <repress conflicts>

2

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