Synonyms of repression

repression

noun

ri-ˈpre-shən 

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• restraint
• discipline
• suppression
• inhibition
• composure
• constraint
• self-control
• discretion
• reserve
• refrainment
• self-restraint
• continence
• possession
• control
• self-command
• mastery
• silence
• willpower
• self-discipline
• self-censorship
• will
• distance
• self-government
• aloofness
• self-denial
• reticence
• self-mastery
• shyness
• bashfulness
• self-containment
• command
• modesty
• taciturnity
• self-possession
• detachedness
• self-poise

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• incontinence
• disinhibition
• gratification
• indulgence
• unconstraint
• frankness
• overindulgence
• candor
• bluntness
• uninhibitedness
• self-abandonment
• intemperance
• unrestrainedness
• self-indulgence
• immoderacy

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of repression

Western nations have imposed economic and political sanctions in response to the military takeover and violent repression of opposition, which has led to the deaths of thousands of civilians and given rise to a civil war. — ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026

Nor can it be secured through repression, which amplifies alienation, fuels anger, and breeds broader resentment toward the Pakistani state. — Aqil Shah, Time, 17 Aug. 2026

That repression is unfolding alongside the severe aid cuts, with overall humanitarian funding for Afghanistan falling nearly 70 percent since 2022. — Kara Fox, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026

Although David’s use of psychotherapeutic ideas is self-destructive, Baldwin uses psychoanalytic concepts, particularly repression, in this and other works. — Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 4 Aug. 2026