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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of repress
People fed up with rolling blackouts have staged sporadic protests in recent days, banging pots and shouting slogans against the government, rare demonstrations in a country known for repressing dissent.
—
Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2026
The White House imposed sanctions on Larijani in January for his role in repressing nationwide protests in the country, which saw thousands killed in the violent government crackdown, rights group say.
—Yarden Segev, NBC news, 17 Mar. 2026
After surviving a 1981 assassination attempt that paralyzed his right hand, Khamenei served as Iran’s president, brutally repressing dissent.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 10 Mar. 2026
In situations of more extreme mental health issues, teens may not have the tools to navigate difficult feelings and instead, repress and compartmentalize their feelings as a way to cope.
—Staff Author, Parents, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for repress
Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2026
The White House imposed sanctions on Larijani in January for his role in repressing nationwide protests in the country, which saw thousands killed in the violent government crackdown, rights group say.
—Yarden Segev, NBC news, 17 Mar. 2026
After surviving a 1981 assassination attempt that paralyzed his right hand, Khamenei served as Iran’s president, brutally repressing dissent.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 10 Mar. 2026
In situations of more extreme mental health issues, teens may not have the tools to navigate difficult feelings and instead, repress and compartmentalize their feelings as a way to cope.
—Staff Author, Parents, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for repress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for repress
Verb
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Ukraine's air force, meanwhile, said its forces faced 6,462 Russian drones and 138 missiles of various types across the course of the month, of which 5,833 drones and 102 missiles -- around 90% of drones and just under 74% of missiles -- were intercepted or suppressed.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
6 Apr. 2026
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Declining immigration is constraining labor supply, higher productivity is suppressing labor demand, business activity captured by our Texas Business Outlook Surveys recently moderated, and geopolitical uncertainty is elevated.—
Matthew Ablon,
CBS News,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In response, Varsity and USASF have argued that the Open Championship’s own growth, both in terms of participant numbers and event revenue, undermines the notion that the defendants illegally stifled competition.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
8 Apr. 2026
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Overregulation stifles business, regardless of industry.—
John Cleveland,
Boston Herald,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Such assurances are unlikely to quell the community’s decades-long experience with polluted runoff, however, and small farmers say that runoff could also present a food safety problem and threaten to set back years of organic farming practices.—
Thomas Heaton,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
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Speakers sought to quell those concerns.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That the Sabres couldn’t live up to the hype this season despite having a top 10 starting goalie performance is a tough pill to swallow.—
Dom Luszczyszyn,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2026
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And in rain, the muddy dirt roads threaten to swallow your car.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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They were abandoned during the Mongol invasion in 1241 and then subdued by the Ottoman empire in 1526.—
Isaac Stanley-Becker,
The Atlantic,
10 Apr. 2026
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Worley physically fought the officer who used a Taser to subdue him, an affidavit states.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Repress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repress. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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