1
as in suppressing
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 stifling
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
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Recent Examples of repressing
His name has been associated with police operations carried out in the context of protests, detentions, and crowd-control actions executed by the PNB, a force that since its creation has played a central role in repressing political dissent.
—
Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 6 Jan. 2026
Despite these differences, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is resorting to a familiar playbook for repressing protests, blending a passing acknowledgement of his system’s shortcomings with maximum deflection and defiance.
—Washington Post, 5 Jan. 2026
This week is pushing you to speak up and stop repressing your truth.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025
Critics, though, have argued that these efforts are serving to distract from the country’s record of repressing free speech and dissent, as well as human rights violations, which have been widely reported.
—Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
Sunny, for example, feels solidarity with his working-class immigrant neighbors in Queens while repressing the fact that his family funded his education with black money.
—Sanjena Sathian, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2025
This is welcome news for a system plagued by various exogenous shocks — including COVID and related frothy valuations, high interest rates and the 2022 market correction, the US electoral cycle, and tariff uncertainty — that have resulted in wide bid-ask spreads repressing deal activity.
—Control Risks, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Hamas’s response fluctuated between allowing discontent and repressing the demonstrations.
—Leila Seurat, Foreign Affairs, 26 Aug. 2025
Most of the international community rejects the idea that Ukraine is repressing Russian language and culture and says Russia launched its invasion under false pretenses.
—Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 24 Aug. 2025
Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 6 Jan. 2026
Despite these differences, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is resorting to a familiar playbook for repressing protests, blending a passing acknowledgement of his system’s shortcomings with maximum deflection and defiance.
—Washington Post, 5 Jan. 2026
This week is pushing you to speak up and stop repressing your truth.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025
Critics, though, have argued that these efforts are serving to distract from the country’s record of repressing free speech and dissent, as well as human rights violations, which have been widely reported.
—Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
Sunny, for example, feels solidarity with his working-class immigrant neighbors in Queens while repressing the fact that his family funded his education with black money.
—Sanjena Sathian, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2025
This is welcome news for a system plagued by various exogenous shocks — including COVID and related frothy valuations, high interest rates and the 2022 market correction, the US electoral cycle, and tariff uncertainty — that have resulted in wide bid-ask spreads repressing deal activity.
—Control Risks, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Hamas’s response fluctuated between allowing discontent and repressing the demonstrations.
—Leila Seurat, Foreign Affairs, 26 Aug. 2025
Most of the international community rejects the idea that Ukraine is repressing Russian language and culture and says Russia launched its invasion under false pretenses.
—Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 24 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for repressing
Verb
-
Florida is still showing a knack for suppressing shots but more high-danger chances are slipping past.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Food manufacturers like PepsiCo are also contending with the impact of appetite-suppressing weight-loss drugs, which are hurting demand for snacks.—
Megan Cerullo,
CBS News,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Just two days after the Colorado Avalanche came into Detroit and rolled to a 5-0 win, the Red Wings returned the favor with a stifling defensive performance to win 2-0 in Denver.—
Max Bultman,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Playing rival McCallum roughly 24 hours after the game was postponed from Friday night due to water issues at the Knights' campus, the Trojans used a stifling second-half defensive effort for a 46-35 win at Burger Center to take a two-game lead in the district standings.—
Colby Gordon,
Austin American Statesman,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In a statement broadcast by state TV, a security force known for quelling unrest accused terrorists of targeting military and law enforcement bases over the past two nights.—
Erin Mansfield,
USA Today,
10 Jan. 2026
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This potency can be a good thing for quelling inflammation—but also calls for caution.—
Sarah Garone,
Health,
9 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The Marvel cinematic universe has a reputation for swallowing up directors and stripping them of any of their personal artistic sensibilities in favor of the MCU’s house style.—
James Grebey,
Vulture,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Wang emphasizes that accidentally swallowing an occasional lemon or grapefruit seed poses no meaningful risk for healthy adults.—
Stacey Lastoe,
Southern Living,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Multiple officers were involved in subduing Guity and placing him in handcuffs, police said.—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
14 Jan. 2026
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As the representative for the armed wing of a human empire, you're tasked with subduing these Lovecraftian abominations and securing a foothold for humanity on alien worlds.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
5 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Repressing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repressing. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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