Definition of repress
transitive verb
1a : to check by or as if by pressure : curb injustice was repressedb : to put down by force : subdue repress a disturbance
2a : to hold in by self-control repressed a laughb : 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
repressively
adverbrepressiveness
nounIndulge Your Inner Word Nerd
Examples of repress in a Sentence
Religious groups were severely repressed.
quickly repressed the rebellion in the provincial city and restored order
Recent Examples of repress from the Web
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In the popular imagination, school bathrooms brimmed with pathology and repressed sexuality.
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Surprisingly, Barria and other Noriega opponents stopped short of expressing harsh criticism of the former strongman who repressed their demonstrations and forced many into exile.
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In Egypt, where the sectarian divide is less of an issue, the use of force to repress Islamist politics creates a different set of risks.
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Sipe believes Wehner and other victims can repress their memories of trauma for years.
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That landed Wang Xiaoning in prison for 10 years and put Yahoo executives in front of Congress, which wanted to know why the company was helping China repress human rights.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'repress'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology 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
REPRESS Defined for English Language Learners
repress
playDefinition of repress for English Language Learners
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: to not allow yourself to do or express (something)
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: to not allow yourself to remember (something, such as an unpleasant event)
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: to control (someone or something) by force
REPRESS Defined for Kids
repress
playDefinition of repress for Students
repressed
;repressing
: to hold in check by or as if by pressure On seeing his haircut, I had to repress a laugh.
Medical Dictionary
repress
playMedical 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
Learn More about repress
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See words that rhyme with repress Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for repress Spanish Central: Translation of repress Nglish: Translation of repress for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of repress for Arabic speakers
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