repressed

adjective

re·​pressed ri-ˈprest 

1

: subjected to or marked by repression

2

: characterized by restraint

Synonyms of repressed

• muted
• restrained
• subdued
• quiet
• conservative

Examples of repressed in a Sentence

a 19th-century church in the repressed style favored by the strict religious sect

Recent Examples on the Web

The deeply repressed make great ghost fodder. — Literary Hub, 26 May 2026

Cummings has a wider range to traverse as Arnold, whose repressed rage eventually has to find an outlet. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2026

The look of sheer repressed, stymied rage/laughter on Raph’s face when Paul sniffs the Oreos instead is one of the episode’s biggest laughs. — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 16 June 2026

And, in the aftermath of a stomach-churning stick-up that twisted my guts with the queasy horror of a repressed memory, Gary is given a week to make the problem go away. — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 16 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for repressed

• acquiesced
• coalesced
• dispossessed
• manifest
• overdressed
• overstressed
• prepossessed
• reassessed
• reinvest
• repossessed
• unaddressed
• uncompressed

Kids Definition

repressed

adjective

re·​pressed ri-ˈprest 

1

: subjected to or marked by repression

a repressed child

2

: characterized by a keeping in check

Medical Definition

repressed

adjective

re·​pressed ri-ˈprest 

: subjected to or marked by repression

a repressed child

repressed anger