1
as in to suppress
to put a stop to (something) by the use of force
quickly repressed the rebellion in the provincial city and restored order
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2
as in to stifle
to refrain from openly showing or uttering
you can't repress your feelings forever, so tell her how you feel about her
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Recent Examples of repress
Same old story: repress human nature too much and disaster follows.
—
Jackson Arn, The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2024
Instead, Caracas has brutally repressed its political opponents and civil society.
—Christopher Sabatini, Foreign Affairs, 9 Oct. 2024
With little protection against illnesses like smallpox, tuberculosis or plague, people would have been immobilized by fear if not for the ability to repress reality.
—Robert Pearl, Forbes, 16 Sep. 2024
But the former president had an authoritarian streak, using security forces to repress opponents.
—Lauren Said-Moorhouse, CNN, 12 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for repress 
Jackson Arn, The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2024
Instead, Caracas has brutally repressed its political opponents and civil society.
—Christopher Sabatini, Foreign Affairs, 9 Oct. 2024
With little protection against illnesses like smallpox, tuberculosis or plague, people would have been immobilized by fear if not for the ability to repress reality.
—Robert Pearl, Forbes, 16 Sep. 2024
But the former president had an authoritarian streak, using security forces to repress opponents.
—Lauren Said-Moorhouse, CNN, 12 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for repress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for repress
Verb
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His beautiful, distant mother, played by the French-Argentinean actress Bérénice Bejo, treats these outbursts as insurrections to be suppressed.Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, 13 Dec. 2024
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Harry is doing his best to keep Dexter from killing people, though Dex acknowledges that slicing into cadavers and taking hunting trips aren’t really cutting it in terms of suppressing his urges.Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 13 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Bureaucracy has also stifled innovation even when its military utility is obvious.Mitch McConnell, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2024
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Leaders who avoid conflict breed mediocrity and stifle innovation and creativity.Expert Panel®, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
Verb
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In June 2020, Willis demanded that Trump stop using Village People's music after the then-president threatened military action to quell protests following the police killing of George Floyd.Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2024
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And in case anyone thinks its suppressions are the stuff of the past, the emergence of far-right leaders around the Western world in the past few years quickly quells the fantasy.Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Dec. 2024
Verb
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In a game where a D-man on the other side put up two, seeing the team’s two most skilled defencemen finish with zero shots each and losing their minutes at five-on-five is a tough pill to swallow.Omar White, The Athletic, 15 Dec. 2024
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The Huskies were also swallowed up on the boards, getting out-rebounded 25-16 in the first half and allowing 11 second-chance points to the Irish.Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 13 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Several said they were alarmed by him and some were thankful when Penny subdued him.Jennifer Peltz, Los Angeles Times, 2 Dec. 2024
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The price of iron ore, which is Rio’s single largest product, accounting for two-thirds of Rio Tinto’s revenue, has remained subdued in 2024, though showing some improvement in the recent months.Trefis Team, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Repress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repress. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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