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
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of repressed
Hussein Agha, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025
Over the course of one fateful night, repressed desires and buried secrets boil to the surface, pulling everyone in her orbit into a storm of passion, betrayal, and manipulation.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 21 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
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
Over the course of one fateful night, repressed desires and buried secrets boil to the surface, pulling everyone in her orbit into a storm of passion, betrayal, and manipulation.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 21 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
-
Peace Nest Linen Cotton Blend Duvet Cover Set For an effortless, earthy look, add this linen-blend duvet set to your bed that’s available in muted cream, gray, and pink.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 Sep. 2025
-
Duff attended the Fendi Spring/Summer 2026 show on Tuesday, September 24, along with a number of other fashion-loving celebrities like Naomi Watts and Shailene Woodley, both of whom wore muted colors and barely-there nail polishes.—
Marci Robin,
Allure,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Defenders downed or suppressed 566 drones and 45 missiles, the air force said.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
28 Sep. 2025
-
Advertisement Amazon still faces another lawsuit brought by the FTC in 2023, which alleged that the company is an exploitative monopoly and illegally suppressed competition among online marketplaces.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
This all comes amid multiple feuds between the ADL and several Christian conservatives, including podcasters Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson, and concerns over the rise in antisemitism and whether free speech is being stifled in the name of combating it.—
Jordan King,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Doku took it upon himself to dribble past two defenders and set up Esteve’s own-goal, but that aside, Parker’s strategy stifled City.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
In the after-hours, the black faille number styled with a silky lime-green tank top was at once restrained and opulent, just great for a night out.—
Sandra Salibian,
Footwear News,
29 Sep. 2025
-
In practice, despite his rhetoric, Israel’s longest serving prime minister’s security policy was widely seen as cautious and relatively restrained, even derided as cowardly by political rivals, who also mocked his inability to make decisive moves.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Bunnie Xo quelled online chatter surrounding her husband's 200-pound weight loss in a TikTok clip shared Saturday.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
28 Sep. 2025
-
Just as the geographical Palestinian homeland must be seized by Zionist forces, all resistance quelled and all Indigenous Palestinians ultimately expelled and silenced forever, so too must any and all electronic trace of support for Palestinian freedom be expunged from the database.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
But Kelvin Wheelies closed in 1983 and has been slowly getting swallowed by trees and shrubs ever since.—
Popular Science Team,
Popular Science,
24 Sep. 2025
-
Here, slowly being swallowed by vegetation and worn down by time, are gigantic mausoleums, vast underground cisterns, temples, imposing city walls and a breathtaking theater perched, like Machu Picchu, on a hilltop that offers views stretching for miles all around.—
Barry Neild,
CNN Money,
23 Sep. 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
-
Britani, who has been all too quiet this whole time, sees an opening to make it about her, and thank god for that.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Tom Willander Willander had a quiet showing at prospect camp and training camp, then debuted with two sensational preseason performances against the Seattle Kraken and the Calgary Flames.—
Thomas Drance,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Repressed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repressed. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share