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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of repress
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
There’s an inherent troublemaking nature to him that can’t be repressed by the big Disney musical.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2026
During the rule of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi Kurds were marginalized and repressed and sometimes rebelled.
—ABC News, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for repress
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
There’s an inherent troublemaking nature to him that can’t be repressed by the big Disney musical.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2026
During the rule of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi Kurds were marginalized and repressed and sometimes rebelled.
—ABC News, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for repress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for repress
Verb
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The San Bernardino County Fire Department tested new technology on Monday designed to help suppress fires by using sound waves.—
Joy Benedict,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Acknowledge anxiety, sadness or grief with openness, instead of trying to suppress those feelings or fueling them with harsh self-criticism.—
J. David Creswell,
The Conversation,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Academic journals struggled to put out issues, stifled by high printing costs and staff layoffs, scrounging for enough articles to fill their pages and paying subscribers to read them.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
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There are those, however, who do not see regulation as a stifling force.—
Francesca Cassidy,
Fortune,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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At a congressional hearing, a combative Bondi tried to quell the Epstein files controversy.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 Apr. 2026
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The hearing At a congressional hearing, a combative Bondi tried to quell the Epstein files controversy.—
Jennifer Peltz,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Duke swallowed an olive the size of my head.—
Nick Canepa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
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According to the notice, botulism can cause symptoms such as weakness, dizziness, double-vision and trouble with speaking or swallowing.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Betts subdued the momentum with a block on Booker’s layup attempt with 20 seconds left, and Rice then made two free throws, sending Close’s crew into the title game.—
Haley Sawyer,
Oc Register,
4 Apr. 2026
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There, the pioneers—practical, inventive, restless, exuberant white men—clashed with Indigenous peoples, subduing them and a wilderness filled with wild animals and abundant natural resources.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Repress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repress. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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