Meanings
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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.
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2
noun
The act of holding back or controlling feelings or desires.
Years of emotional repression eventually took a toll on her health.
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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
Etymology
From repress + -ion.