as in unemotional
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Recent Examples of repressive
But while Maduro is in jail in New York on drug trafficking charges, the leaders of his repressive administration remain in charge.
—
Regina Garcia Cano, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
Alexander Granko Arteaga Alexander Granko Arteaga is a senior Venezuelan intelligence official closely associated with the country’s most repressive security operations.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 6 Jan. 2026
Maduro was corrupt and repressive.
—Richard Fontaine, The Atlantic, 4 Jan. 2026
Maduro complemented the repressive apparatus by purging institutions of anyone who dared dissent.
—Dallas Morning News, 3 Jan. 2026
Authoritarian regimes relentlessly reorganize their repressive apparatuses, but rarely to streamline their functions.
—Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Depp made the announcement at a film festival in Saudi Arabia—kind of fitting for Bulgakov’s satire of repressive regimes.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 12 Dec. 2025
All these young punks and musical savants appearing under the repressive atmosphere of the academy may require some suspension of disbelief (as does Lilisa’s gravity-defying hair).
—Kambole Campbell, Vulture, 9 Dec. 2025
Syria still faces a number of significant challenges, from building an inclusive and non-sectarian political order after half a century of repressive rule, to restoring the rule of law and rebuilding a shattered economy.
—Hassan Hassan, Time, 8 Dec. 2025
Regina Garcia Cano, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
Alexander Granko Arteaga Alexander Granko Arteaga is a senior Venezuelan intelligence official closely associated with the country’s most repressive security operations.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 6 Jan. 2026
Maduro was corrupt and repressive.
—Richard Fontaine, The Atlantic, 4 Jan. 2026
Maduro complemented the repressive apparatus by purging institutions of anyone who dared dissent.
—Dallas Morning News, 3 Jan. 2026
Authoritarian regimes relentlessly reorganize their repressive apparatuses, but rarely to streamline their functions.
—Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Depp made the announcement at a film festival in Saudi Arabia—kind of fitting for Bulgakov’s satire of repressive regimes.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 12 Dec. 2025
All these young punks and musical savants appearing under the repressive atmosphere of the academy may require some suspension of disbelief (as does Lilisa’s gravity-defying hair).
—Kambole Campbell, Vulture, 9 Dec. 2025
Syria still faces a number of significant challenges, from building an inclusive and non-sectarian political order after half a century of repressive rule, to restoring the rule of law and rebuilding a shattered economy.
—Hassan Hassan, Time, 8 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for repressive
Adjective
-
That’s the image projected by Chicago’s pragmatic, unemotional manager, Craig Counsell, who continues to get lustily booed in his hometown.—
Patrick Mooney,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
He is learned, frail, accomplished, absent, selfish and unemotional.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
While the new formula is available in 44 shades, the OG came in a not-unimpressive 40.—
Dianna Singh,
Allure,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Jefferies’ Simons expects the September employment report to show that employers added 65,000 jobs that month — unimpressive, but up from a meager 22,000 in August.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
15 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Repressive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repressive. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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