repression

American  

[ri-presh-uhn] / rɪˈprɛʃ ən /

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 Word Forms

• nonrepression noun

Etymology

Origin of repression

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

Example Sentences

His history of repression is unlikely to be of much concern to Washington, said Michael Singh, a former U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal

Singh and other Sikh activists are urging the council to appoint an expert to investigate transnational repression, or for existing special rapporteurs to focus more on the issue.

From Barron's

The targeting clearly shows a strategy to degrade the regime’s apparatus of repression, but risks harming the very prisoners it is intended to empower, analysts said.

From The Wall Street Journal

He and fellow student Valentina Scaloni, 24, don't agree with the principle of US intervention but feel it was necessary to achieve freedom after years of repression by the government.

From BBC

The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran has said the war in the Middle East is likely to result in worsening institutionalised domestic repression of Iranian citizens.

From Barron's

Related Words

• oppression
• suppression