What does repress mean?
Repress means to keep something from being expressed, experienced openly, or allowed to develop. People commonly use it for emotions and impulses: someone may repress anger, anxiety, grief, or a sudden desire to speak. In psychology, repression has a more specific meaning, describing the unconscious process by which distressing thoughts or memories are kept out of conscious awareness. The word can also describe broader suppression, as when a government represses opposition or a person represses an urge to act. Repress generally suggests pressure from within and a deliberate or psychological effort to hold something back, so it often carries a serious or introspective tone. Its Latin roots, re- and premere, convey the idea of pressing something back down, which captures the word's central image.
verbTo suppress, inhibit, or prevent something from being expressed or experienced. It can refer especially to conscious or unconscious control of emotions, memories, impulses, or outward behavior.
- To suppress conscious or unconscious feelings, thoughts, memories, or impulses.
- To prevent, inhibit, or restrain the expression or development of something.
- To put down or overcome resistance, opposition, or rebellion.
"She tried to repress her anxiety during the interview."
"He repressed his anger and continued walking."
"The government attempted to repress opposition to the new policy."
To repress is to keep something from getting out—even when it is already pressing hard to be expressed.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does repress come from?
Repress comes from Latin repressus, the past participle of reprimere, meaning “to press back” or “suppress.” The prefix re- combined with premere, “to press,” expresses the idea of forcing or holding something back. English borrowed the word in the 16th century for the suppression of feelings, actions, or opposition. Its relatives include express, impress, compress, and suppress, all built on forms of the same Latin root.
Related word forms
How repress is actually used
In everyday use, repress often implies deliberate control of emotions or impulses. In psychology, it can refer to the unconscious process of keeping distressing thoughts or memories out of awareness. It is more formal and psychologically specific than simply hold back, though the word is also used in political and social contexts.
Easily confused with repress
Repress means to suppress or inhibit expression or impulse, whereas depress commonly means to make someone feel sad or to lower the level or quality of something.
Suppress is broader and can mean to prevent something from appearing or operating; repress more often suggests deliberate or psychological inhibition.