as in muted
not excessively showy
a 19th-century church in the repressed style favored by the strict religious sect
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in suppressed
to put a stop to (something) by the use of force
quickly repressed the rebellion in the provincial city and restored order
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stifled
to refrain from openly showing or uttering
you can't repress your feelings forever, so tell her how you feel about her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of repressed
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2025
The Israeli-Palestinian peace process was built on illusory hope; when the process collapsed, the hope was swept away and a repressed past came to the fore.
—Hussein Agha, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025
The New Yorker, New Yorker, 24 Sep. 2025
Judd and Warhol are so clean and repressed by comparison.
—Jerry Saltz, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for repressed
Adjective
Only in this case, the repressed figure at the movie’s center also happens to be the president of Italy.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2025
The Israeli-Palestinian peace process was built on illusory hope; when the process collapsed, the hope was swept away and a repressed past came to the fore.
—Hussein Agha, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025
Verb
There are so many things that are being repressed here, and when Vivian brings them up her mother reacts poorly.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 24 Sep. 2025
Judd and Warhol are so clean and repressed by comparison.
—Jerry Saltz, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for repressed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for repressed
Adjective
-
Yet in reality, Knape explains, early color filmmaking methods didn’t do well with semi-clear substances like (pseudo)blood, or with muted colors.—
Mark Hay,
Popular Science,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Hudson’s strapless gown featured a muted sky blue tone with silver motifs throughout.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Onondagas support plans announced by the mayor of Syracuse in 2020 to remove the statue of Columbus, an Italian explorer who helped the Spanish establish a colonial foothold in the Caribbean and later suppressed revolts by Indigenous people.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
11 Oct. 2025
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The defense also argued that evidence recovered from the backpack Mangione was carrying when he was arrested at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s should be suppressed.—
Aaron Katersky,
ABC News,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
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That could have stifled the Dodgers’ offensive night.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
14 Oct. 2025
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However, the Bills quarterback was stifled by a stern Falcons defense at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, throwing 15-of-26 for 180 yards with two touchdowns and two picks.—
George Ramsay,
CNN Money,
14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
That would include gun-violence restraining orders and domestic violence protective orders, which are among several kinds of orders that compel a restrained person to surrender firearms.—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
13 Oct. 2025
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This would make the policy more fiscally restrained but less universal.—
Christopher Robertson,
The Conversation,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The large police presence, with a handful of riot vans positioned between the protestors and the stadium entrance, quelled any threat of violence until a small flashpoint close to half-time — tear gas was briefly used to disperse activists who attempted to break through police barricades.—
Philip Buckingham,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
-
That argument hasn’t quelled internal frustration.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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William had moreover swallowed an early, heady dose of Anglophilia.—
Stacy Schiff,
The Atlantic,
8 Oct. 2025
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Passing gas, also known as flatulence, is a natural part of digestion that happens when swallowed air or gases produced by gut bacteria move through your intestines and out of your body.—
Christopher Bergland,
Verywell Health,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Economists see an uptick in hiring, though still at a subdued level.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
28 Sep. 2025
-
Eventually the euphoria of the moment started giving way to subdued appreciation.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
27 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Hours after the deal’s announcement, videos posted on social media by correspondents and Unicef spokesperson James Elder in Gaza showed a relatively quiet night sky, a rare occurrence in an enclave that has faced incessant bombardments for just over two years.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
9 Oct. 2025
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When Venus journeys through Virgo, affection looks like cooking a meal for someone, fixing what’s broken or showing up in quiet, consistent ways.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Repressed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repressed. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.
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