repressive

[ ri-pres-iv ]

adjective

1. tending or serving to repress:

   repressive laws.

Other Words From

• re·pressive·ly adverb
• re·pressive·ness noun
• nonre·pressive adjective
• unre·pressive adjective
• unre·pressive·ly adverb
• unre·pressive·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of repressive¹

1375–1425; late Middle English < Medieval Latin repressīvus < Latin repress ( us ) ( repress ) + -īvus -ive

Example Sentences

All action on an increasingly deadly climate crisis would end or be reversed, the right’s repressive anti-trans panic would intensify in its reach and its cruelty, and the reactionaries who wrote Project 2025 would consolidate their power across the administrative state and the federal courts.

From Slate

In times like these, individuals think ahead about what a more repressive government will want, and then offer themselves without being asked.

From Salon

He did endorse a book by far-right conspiracy theorist Jack Posobiec, though, that lays out what might be the ultimate theory of directional honesty in a passage that attempts to explain why its premise—that the United States is controlled by repressive communists—is a fair one despite the abundant evidence that the United States is not controlled by repressive communists.

From Slate

Explosive growth turned China into a global power, and stable prosperity was the carrot offered by a repressive regime that would never loosen its grip on the stick.

From BBC

"Many are now scrutinizing Telegram's announcement with a basic question in mind: does this mean the platform will start cooperating with authorities in repressive regimes?"

From BBC

Related Words

• coercive
• restrictive