repression

US /ɹəˈpɹɛʃən/ See IPA manual

Freq #19306

Meanings

1

noun
The use of force or control to keep people from acting or speaking freely.

The new regime was known for its brutal repression of dissent.
2

noun
The act of holding back or controlling feelings or desires.

Years of emotional repression eventually took a toll on her health.
3

noun
In psychology, the mind's way of blocking out painful or unwanted thoughts so they stay unconscious.

Repression is a defence mechanism that pushes anxious thoughts out of awareness.

Thesaurus

Word family

Forms repressions

Derived forms antirepressionautorepressioncorepressioncrossrepressionderepressionhyperrepressionnonrepressionoverrepressionrepressionaryrepressionismrepressionisttransrepression

Related forms repress suppression

Etymology

From repress + -ion.

Topics

People & Society Psychology & Behavior

External links

# repression

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ɹəˈpɹɛʃən/
**Frequency rank:** 19306

## Meanings
1. The use of force or control to keep people from acting or speaking freely.
2. The act of holding back or controlling feelings or desires.
3. In psychology, the mind's way of blocking out painful or unwanted thoughts so they stay unconscious.

## Examples
- The new regime was known for its brutal repression of dissent.
- Years of emotional repression eventually took a toll on her health.
- Repression is a defence mechanism that pushes anxious thoughts out of awareness.

## Derived Forms
- antirepression
- autorepression
- corepression
- crossrepression
- derepression
- hyperrepression
- nonrepression
- overrepression
- repressionary
- repressionism
- repressionist
- transrepression

## Related Forms
- repress
- suppression

## Etymology
From repress + -ion.

## AI Etymology
Repression comes from repress + -ion. Modern senses include the use of force or control to keep people from acting or speaking freely. and the act of holding back or controlling feelings or desires.. The wider word family includes derivatives such as antirepression, autorepression, corepression, crossrepression, derepression, and hyperrepression and related forms such as repress and suppression.

## Topics
- People & Society
- Psychology & Behavior

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