1
as in to suppress
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to stifle
to refrain from openly showing or uttering
you can't repress your feelings forever, so tell her how you feel about her
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of repress
And yet football nationalism could not be entirely repressed even there.
—
Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
Two Minneapolis residents were shot to death by federal agents last month in an attempt to repress anti-immigration protests.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026
The portrait of a woman who represses and conceals a rape struck a chord as the #MeToo movement took off and put Trobisch on the map.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2026
Be prudent about your indulgences, but don’t feel the need to repress them for the sake of a wider audience who was never going to get it.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for repress
Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
Two Minneapolis residents were shot to death by federal agents last month in an attempt to repress anti-immigration protests.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026
The portrait of a woman who represses and conceals a rape struck a chord as the #MeToo movement took off and put Trobisch on the map.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2026
Be prudent about your indulgences, but don’t feel the need to repress them for the sake of a wider audience who was never going to get it.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for repress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for repress
Verb
-
Bondi wants to suppress, or at least stall, state Bar investigations against them.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
10 Mar. 2026
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Which stories persist, which fade and which are actively suppressed are decisions increasingly made by private companies rather than public institutions.—
Arnaud Kurze,
The Conversation,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Though some have argued that China’s abundant energy and manufacturing capacity give it an edge in the global AI race, Chinese executives say Washington’s restrictions on sales of the most advanced semiconductors are stifling the country’s AI development.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
13 Mar. 2026
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But waning financial support, due in part to a animal rights group targeting national sponsors, has shrunk the purse while inflation is stifling young mushers trying to make a go of it.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Deutsche shares largely mirrored the fortunes of the wider banking sector, which is seeking to quell the fallout of the Middle East conflict.—
Joseph Wilkins,Hugh Leask,
CNBC,
13 Mar. 2026
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The format in which the Iranian regime released his statement did little to quell rumors that he could actually have been incapacitated, possibly even left in a coma, in the same strike that killed his father and mother.—
Haley Ott,
CBS News,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Bella Hadid, however, has been bucking this trend throughout her time in Paris and beyond, largely opting for denim that highlights her footwear rather than swallowing them up.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
7 Mar. 2026
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Phillipsburg declared a state of emergency last month when a sinkhole swallowed a dump truck.—
Nick Caloway,
CBS News,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Even so, the reaction of the market has been relatively subdued, said David Butter, an energy expert on the Middle East at the Chatham House think tank.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
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Video from the scene shows a security detail member being taken to the ground as officers worked to subdue the suspects.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Repress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repress. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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