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
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2025
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
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
Only in this case, the repressed figure at the movie’s center also happens to be the president of Italy.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2025
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
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
-
Max Studio London Godet Pleated Maxi Skirt Florals may be most commonly associated with the spring and summer, but opting for a darker, more muted shade allows the pattern to transition into the fall.—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Oct. 2025
-
But the colorful Diwali celebrations held annually in Indian-American communities throughout the United States are more muted this year compared to the past.—
Angela Chitkara,
Fortune,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The President praised the speed with which this modest protest was suppressed.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
19 Oct. 2025
-
The Secret Commonwealth is the condemnation of a world where imagination—not making things up, but a way of seeing, understanding, feeling the world—is suppressed by the dual forces of cold rationality and religious fundamentalisms that breed authoritarianism.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Indians started to put together another seemingly productive drive until a fumble stifled the plans, and Lowell took over in Billerica territory.—
Erik Anderson,
Boston Herald,
18 Oct. 2025
-
That could have stifled the Dodgers’ offensive night.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
In DaCosta’s hands, Ibsen’s emotionally extreme but tonally restrained play becomes a spectacular, flamboyant melodrama, with physical action as intense as the characters’ inner worlds.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
17 Oct. 2025
-
That would include gun-violence restraining orders and domestic violence protective orders, which are among several kinds of orders that compel a restrained person to surrender firearms.—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The ensuing years of widespread speculation, meme coins, volatility, and the fall of Sam Bankman-Fried’s FTX quelled any remaining enthusiasm.—
Kim Velsey,
Curbed,
17 Oct. 2025
-
The large police presence, with a handful of riot vans positioned between the protestors and the stadium entrance, quelled any threat of violence until a small flashpoint close to half-time — tear gas was briefly used to disperse activists who attempted to break through police barricades.—
Philip Buckingham,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Pointed gestures toward the lingering tension between Japan and Korea — and between those two countries and the rest of the planet — are drowned out by tiresome bickering and exaggerated gags, like a meaningful conversation swallowed into the sound of an airplane engine screaming overhead.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
15 Oct. 2025
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But with the inability to do live shows for much of 2020-2021, and the meteoric growth of Matt Rife’s social media presence, many stand-ups swallowed their pride and bought a tripod.—
David Zucker,
Deadline,
13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The Los Angeles Dodgers, after silencing the Milwaukee Brewers, 5-1, Tuesday night in front of a subdued crowd at American Family Field, are putting on one of the most dominant pitching clinics in the league.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
15 Oct. 2025
-
Economists see an uptick in hiring, though still at a subdued level.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The Seattle crowd that exploded in the first was quiet.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
-
The three-bedroom property features quintessentially Scandi details like wide plank flooring and high ceilings, and the balcony comes equipped with sofas for quiet coffees in the morning light.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
15 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Repressed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repressed. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
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