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
For Black Americans, the history of repression of education runs even deeper.
—
Karida L. Brown, Essence, 21 May 2025
After 2012, when Putin returned to the presidency, the Kremlin began tightening its grip on Russia’s elites, embracing an archaic militarism, and widening its repression of civil society.
—Andrei Yakovlev, Foreign Affairs, 16 May 2025
The sanctions were escalated to punish the regime of Bashar al-Assad for its violent repression of people during the Syrian civil war.
—Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 2025
Under its autocratic president, Nicolás Maduro, the Venezuelan government has gone through periods of intense repression followed by limited concessions to the opposition, often made when the authorities are hoping to gain something by appearing to ease up on the population.
—Genevieve Glatsky, New York Times, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for repression
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Karida L. Brown, Essence, 21 May 2025
After 2012, when Putin returned to the presidency, the Kremlin began tightening its grip on Russia’s elites, embracing an archaic militarism, and widening its repression of civil society.
—Andrei Yakovlev, Foreign Affairs, 16 May 2025
The sanctions were escalated to punish the regime of Bashar al-Assad for its violent repression of people during the Syrian civil war.
—Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 2025
Under its autocratic president, Nicolás Maduro, the Venezuelan government has gone through periods of intense repression followed by limited concessions to the opposition, often made when the authorities are hoping to gain something by appearing to ease up on the population.
—Genevieve Glatsky, New York Times, 7 May 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 29 May. 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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