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
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Recent Examples of repressed
Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 25 Apr. 2026
Fuqua’s focus is on the music, with songwriting, video production and choreography scenes, and full-length live performances tackled with staggering precision by Jaafar Jackson, who also sensitively delivers Michael’s repressed anguish in confrontational scenes with his father.
—Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 23 Apr. 2026
Sven Van Mourik, The Dial, 31 Mar. 2026
Iran, where major protests in January were brutally repressed, has between 50% and 60% under 30.
—John Rennie Short, The Conversation, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for repressed
Adjective
Fuqua’s focus is on the music, with songwriting, video production and choreography scenes, and full-length live performances tackled with staggering precision by Jaafar Jackson, who also sensitively delivers Michael’s repressed anguish in confrontational scenes with his father.
—Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 25 Apr. 2026
Fuqua’s focus is on the music, with songwriting, video production and choreography scenes, and full-length live performances tackled with staggering precision by Jaafar Jackson, who also sensitively delivers Michael’s repressed anguish in confrontational scenes with his father.
—Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
Reforms often required strong executive power, largely at the expense of social stability and democratic legitimacy; protests against the IMF’s programs left scores dead as authorities repressed dissent.
—Sven Van Mourik, The Dial, 31 Mar. 2026
Iran, where major protests in January were brutally repressed, has between 50% and 60% under 30.
—John Rennie Short, The Conversation, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for repressed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for repressed
Adjective
-
Other makeup elements, provided by artist Alex Babsky, included bold brows and lined eyes with a muted rosy lip.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
28 May 2026
-
Being in place at moonrise is important because seeing a muted orange moon rising over a landscape is a far more special sight than a big, bright orb high up in a black sky.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
People were craving the culture and art that had been suppressed during his oppressive reign.—
Althea Legaspi,
Rolling Stone,
27 May 2026
-
The Supreme Court spent much of the January oral arguments grappling with the biological advantage men tend to have over women in sports, and whether there is validity to claims that a man’s biological advantage can be suppressed by hormone drugs.—
Jack Birle,
The Washington Examiner,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
The war has stifled the flow of oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.—
Damian J. Troise,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
-
And while the state has seen strong GDP growth in recent months, business groups still worry that this economic success could be stifled by limited job growth and economic uncertainty in the wake of federal policy changes.—
P.R. Lockhart,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
Flowering woody shrubs that bloom on new wood tolerate or thrive on fairly aggressive pruning, while those that bloom on old wood require more careful, restrained pruning.—
Marie Iannotti,
The Spruce,
29 May 2026
-
Even out of context, the first meeting at the train station of Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard is ineffably moving, a model of restrained desire.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
While the emergency response quelled the threat of a violent explosion as of Monday night, 16,000 residents, largely from the city of Stanton, were still unable to return home until all evacuation orders were lifted Tuesday evening.—
Victoria Le,
Oc Register,
27 May 2026
-
Intense protests related to economic issues broke out in Iran in early 2026, but were harshly quelled.—
Alex Sundby,
CBS News,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Brith has swallowed her father’s ring.—
Maggie O’Farrell,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
-
Maddy began managing some of Alamo’s strippers, bringing her into the same underworld that had already swallowed Rue; Cassie moved into Lexi’s apartment complex, auditioned for a role on her show and slept with its heartthrob star.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
After years dominated by the reliable little black dress and subdued minimalism, wedding guest attire is swinging loudly in the opposite direction.—
Lauren Fisher,
Footwear News,
28 May 2026
-
But the mood in the room at Citi’s Tribeca headquarters was more subdued than expected.—
Claire Zillman,
Fortune,
27 May 2026
Adjective
-
This is quiet luxury in hotel form.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
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And yet art-world institutions—including major museums, schools, commercial galleries, and publishing outlets—have mostly avoided the fawning capitulation of universities and Democrats, simply going quiet in the hope of escaping notice for the next three years.—
Katy Siegel,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Repressed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repressed. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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