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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of repress
After surviving a 1981 assassination attempt that paralyzed his right hand, Khamenei served as Iran’s president, brutally repressing dissent.
—
The Week Us, TheWeek, 10 Mar. 2026
In situations of more extreme mental health issues, teens may not have the tools to navigate difficult feelings and instead, repress and compartmentalize their feelings as a way to cope.
—Staff Author, Parents, 9 Mar. 2026
There’s an inherent troublemaking nature to him that can’t be repressed by the big Disney musical.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2026
During the rule of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi Kurds were marginalized and repressed and sometimes rebelled.
—ABC News, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for repress
The Week Us, TheWeek, 10 Mar. 2026
In situations of more extreme mental health issues, teens may not have the tools to navigate difficult feelings and instead, repress and compartmentalize their feelings as a way to cope.
—Staff Author, Parents, 9 Mar. 2026
There’s an inherent troublemaking nature to him that can’t be repressed by the big Disney musical.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2026
During the rule of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi Kurds were marginalized and repressed and sometimes rebelled.
—ABC News, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for repress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for repress
Verb
-
The San Bernardino County Fire Department tested new technology on Monday designed to help suppress fires by using sound waves.—
Joy Benedict,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Acknowledge anxiety, sadness or grief with openness, instead of trying to suppress those feelings or fueling them with harsh self-criticism.—
J. David Creswell,
The Conversation,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Academic journals struggled to put out issues, stifled by high printing costs and staff layoffs, scrounging for enough articles to fill their pages and paying subscribers to read them.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
-
There are those, however, who do not see regulation as a stifling force.—
Francesca Cassidy,
Fortune,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
At a congressional hearing, a combative Bondi tried to quell the Epstein files controversy.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The hearing At a congressional hearing, a combative Bondi tried to quell the Epstein files controversy.—
Jennifer Peltz,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The agency said metal bristles can break off, stick to grill grates and be swallowed, potentially lodging in the throat or digestive tract and causing internal injuries.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
27 Mar. 2026
-
In Charlie Chaplin’s 1936 film Modern Times, a factory worker struggles to keep pace with an ever-accelerating assembly line—until the machine swallows him whole.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Police attempted multiple nonlethal methods to subdue the man, including the use of a Taser and pepper spray, before one officer fired a gun.—
Nikiya Carrero,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Backed by his wife’s wealthy family, Coronado hoped to amass a fortune equal to that of Hernan Cortez, who had brutally subdued the Aztecs.—
Sandra Dallas,
Denver Post,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Repress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repress. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
