Meaning & Definition of word "Repression"
Repression
/rɪˈprɛʃ.ən/
noun:
- 1. The act of subduing someone or something by force.
- Example: The government's repression of dissenting voices led to widespread protests.
- 2. The action of suppressing a thought or desire in oneself.
- Example: His repression of his true feelings caused him emotional distress.
- 3. The psychological act of excluding desires and experiences from consciousness.
- Example: Repression can often lead to unresolved issues manifesting in various forms of anxiety.
- 4. The sustained prevention of a group’s rights or freedoms.
- Example: Cultural repression can erase the identities of minority communities.
Etymology
●From Latin 'repressio', meaning 'a pressing back'.
Common Phrases and Expressions
repression of emotions:
The act of suppressing one's feelings.
psychological repression:
A defense mechanism to keep distressing thoughts from awareness.
political repression:
The use of force to restrict the freedoms of individuals in a society.
Related Words
suppress:
To forcibly put an end to something.
inhibition:
A feeling that makes one self-conscious and unable to act freely.
subjugation:
The action of bringing someone or something under control.
Slang Meanings of repression
Meaning: Keep it bottled up
● Example Sentence: He tends to keep his feelings bottled up due to his repression.
Meaning: Shoving it down
● Example Sentence: She has been shoving down her anxiety through repression.