repression

[ ri-presh-uhn ]

noun

1. the act of repressing; state of being repressed.
2. Psychology, Psychoanalysis. the rejection from consciousness of painful or disagreeable ideas, memories, feelings, or impulses:

   Freud's approach to interpreting early memories emphasizes what is forgotten through the mechanism of repression.

Other Words From

• non·re·pres·sion noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of repression¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English repressioun, from Medieval Latin repressiōn- (stem of repressiō ), Late Latin: “suppression”; repress, -ion

Example Sentences

The imprisonment of a Moscow paediatrician is the latest sign that, for Russia, a war abroad is fuelling repression at home.

From BBC

As a result, up to two-thirds of the country, which has had decades of military rule and repression, fell under the control of resistance groups.

From BBC

“The student who protested at the university turned her body - long weaponized as a tool of repression - into a symbol of dissent. I call for her freedom and an end to the harassment of women.”

From BBC

Soon, North Korean refugees began wading through an often freezing Tumen river at the risk of being shot dead to escape hunger, poverty and repression.

From BBC

After half a century of lynchings, beatings, and state-sponsored violence and repression, white America was desperate to sweep it all under the rug, pass a law, and move on.

From Slate

Related Words

• oppression
• suppression