irrepressible
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- irrepressibility noun
- irrepressibleness noun
- irrepressibly adverb
Etymology
Origin of irrepressible
First recorded in 1805–15; ir- 2 + repressible ( def. )
Explanation
Something that’s irrepressible can’t be restrained. If you find yourself constantly looking up the definitions of interesting words, you have an irrepressible desire to expand your vocabulary. You just can’t stop! Irrepressible comes from the word repress, which means "restrain" or "reject." If you have a desire to become an actor but are worried about financial security, you might repress your calling for the stage and opt for law school instead. However, some desires are simply irrepressible. If you ignore your urge to be onstage, watch out; we predict that one day you’ll find yourself delivering a Shakespearean monologue to a very confused jury.
Vocabulary lists containing irrepressible
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -able, -ible
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Anna Karenina
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“I’ve had a pit in my stomach all day,” said his father, Craig Kupp, with an irrepressible smile on his face and a squirming grandson tucked under his arm.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 26, 2026
The visitors were 59-1 at lunch, leading by 99, with Duckett on 28 and Pope not-out 24, digging in after the irrepressible Mitchell Starc again pounced in the first over.
From Barron's • Nov. 22, 2025
But great swaths of the city’s wartime architecture still remain, along with its irrepressible commercial dynamism and ever-vibrant cultural life.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 17, 2025
Alcaraz's serve has never been a weakness, but he rendered it one of his most irrepressible weapons in New York by increasing his power to levels he has never before shown.
From BBC • Sep. 8, 2025
I felt an irrepressible grin bubble onto my face.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
