repress
rih-PRESS
/rɪˈpres/
Subdue (someone or something) by force; suppress or restrain.
Focuses on active force used by authorities to hold back political dissent, protest, or speech.
The story behind the word. From Latin 'reprimere' (to press back, hold back). It entered Middle English in the sense of curbing or keeping back rebellion and dangerous forces.
Word relationships
- suppress: Suppress can mean keeping something secret or stopping a physical urge; repress often implies forceful political containment.
- quell: Quell means to put an end to disorder, usually decisively.
- foster: To encourage or promote growth and liberty.
- liberate: To set free from restraint or oppression.
Commonly confused with
- suppress: While often interchangeable, 'repress' is heavily favored in political science regarding systemic political restraint of populations.
Word family
- repression (noun): The action of repressing someone or something.
- repressive (adjective): Inhibiting or restraining personal freedom.
Collocations
- repress dissent
- repress protests
- repress information
- actively repress
Example sentences
- "The government attempted to repress the growing protest movement by deploying security forces." News Broadcast
Memory hook
RE-PRESS = PRESS back down. Push back or crush dissent.
When not to use
Do not confuse with psychological 'suppress' without context, though they overlap.
Fun facts
- In psychology, Sigmund Freud used 'repression' to describe the unconscious pushing away of painful memories.
Related words
Explore more words
suppress, subconscious, internalize, retain, compulsive, impulsive
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