repressed

1 of 2

adjective

re·​pressed ri-ˈprest How to pronounce repressed (audio)
Synonyms of repressednext
1
: subjected to or marked by repression
2
: characterized by restraint

repressed

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of repress

Synonyms of repressed

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Adjective

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Examples of repressed in a Sentence

Adjective a 19th-century church in the repressed style favored by the strict religious sect
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Adjective
The 1996 drama saw Watson play Bess McNeill, a young woman living in a repressed, deeply religious community in the north of Scotland. — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026 Sigmund Freud wrote that dreams were a kind of acting-out of repressed impulses. — Veronique Greenwood, Time, 18 Aug. 2026 Maybe a repressed emotion or unresolved ending still haunts you. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 12 Aug. 2026 Nordic noir suggests the presence of violence and hatred beneath the tranquillity and order of the Scandinavian welfare state, just as Southern noir peels back hospitality and charm to reveal repressed family secrets and moral decay. — Peter C. Baker, New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for repressed

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1606, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of repressed was in 1606

Rhymes for repressed

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Browse Nearby Words

re-press
repressed
repressed inflation
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Cite this Entry

“Repressed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/repressed. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

repressed

adjective
re·​pressed ri-ˈprest How to pronounce repressed (audio)
1
: subjected to or marked by repression
a repressed child
2
: characterized by a keeping in check

Medical Definition

repressed

adjective
re·​pressed ri-ˈprest How to pronounce repressed (audio)
: subjected to or marked by repression
a repressed child
repressed anger
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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