as in restraint
the checking of one's true feelings and impulses when dealing with others
psychologists talking about the repression of anger and how it affects one's health
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Recent Examples of repression
In the two decades that followed, several Quaker, Presbyterian, Catholic and Jewish congregations across America and Canada used their houses of worship as sanctuaries for Central American refugees who were fleeing civil war, government repression and genocide.
—
Menika Dirkson, The Conversation, 8 Apr. 2026
The situation of prisoners and the regime’s systematic use of the death penalty as a political tool of repression must be made a central condition in any negotiations or engagement with the Islamic Republic.
—Alex Nitzberg, FOXNews.com, 6 Apr. 2026
One effect of this austerity and repression is to focus attention on Albee’s language, with its slippery banalities and barbs.
—Steven Winn, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2026
The next day representatives of various organizations and churches met to discuss police harassment as part of the political repression of the Young Lords.
—Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for repression
Menika Dirkson, The Conversation, 8 Apr. 2026
The situation of prisoners and the regime’s systematic use of the death penalty as a political tool of repression must be made a central condition in any negotiations or engagement with the Islamic Republic.
—Alex Nitzberg, FOXNews.com, 6 Apr. 2026
One effect of this austerity and repression is to focus attention on Albee’s language, with its slippery banalities and barbs.
—Steven Winn, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2026
The next day representatives of various organizations and churches met to discuss police harassment as part of the political repression of the Young Lords.
—Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for repression
Recent Examples of Synonyms for repression
Noun
-
The department is currently investigating more than two dozen facilities and says, while most providers recognize the need for regulation, some don't think the laws around restraint and seclusion should apply to them.—
Shaun Boyd,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The volunteer, named Jacki and played with warm restraint by Tessa Thompson, has been slowly developing a friendship with Yarris, a mercurial but undeniably charismatic character played by Adrien Brody, your go-to actor for any slight man with a loping, unsteady energy.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The fellows dealt with disciplines ranging from social work, nursing and public health, geography, architecture, performance studies, and art.—
Maximilíano Durón,
ARTnews.com,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The Mule discipline, which has been drawing particular attention, involves robotic systems transporting equipment and supplies.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The five courses are available online for free and are prerequisites to obtaining a Firefighter Type II certificate, which is given to entry-level wildland firefighters who are responsible for fire suppression, fuels management and mop-up operations.—
Anne Gelhaus,
Mercury News,
12 Apr. 2026
-
But the ancient Greeks may have had a point with their suppression of technē after all.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Whereas Phoebe lacks inhibitions, Valerie is plagued by them, and the contrasting sitcom formats of Friends (multi-cam) and The Comeback (mockumentary) call for totally different performance styles.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Each spring, otherwise reasonable home cooks lose all inhibitions at the first sight of ramps at the farmers market.—
Kelly Vaughan,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Repression.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repression. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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