Repress | Definition of repress by Merriam-Webster

Full Definition of REPRESS

transitive verb

1

a : to check by or as if by pressure : curb <injustice was repressed>

b : to put down by force : subdue <repress a disturbance>

2

a : to hold in by self-control <repressed a laugh>

b : to prevent the natural or normal expression, activity, or development of <repressed her anger>

3

: to exclude from consciousness <repressed the memory of abuse>

4

: to inactivate (a gene or formation of a gene product) by allosteric combination at a DNA binding site

intransitive verb

: to take repressive action

— re·press·ibil·i·ty \-ˌpre-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun

— re·press·ible \-ˈpre-sə-bəl\ adjective

— re·pres·sive \-ˈpre-siv\ adjective

— re·pres·sive·ly adverb

— re·pres·sive·ness noun

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Origin of REPRESS

Middle English, from Anglo-French represser, from Latin repressus, past participle of reprimere to check, from re- + premere to press — more at press

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to REPRESS

Synonyms: clamp down (on), crack down (on), crush, put down, quash, quell, silence, slap down, snuff (out), squash, squelch, subdue, suppress

Rhymes with REPRESS

abscess, access, address, aggress, assess, bench-press, caress, clothespress, coatdress, cold-press, compress, confess, cross-dress, CS, depress, de-stress, digress, distress, drill press, egress, excess, express, finesse, fluoresce, French press, full-dress, handpress, headdress, housedress, idlesse, impress, ingress, Meknes, much less, nightdress, noblesse, no less, obsess, oppress, outguess, possess, precess, prestress, princess, process, profess, progress, recess, redress, regress, re-press, shirtdress, side-dress, SS, success, sundress, suppress, tendresse, top-dress, transgress, undress, unless, web press, winepress, word stress

Definition of REPRESS for Kids

: to hold in check by or as if by pressure <On seeing his haircut, I had to repress a laugh.>

Medical Definition of REPRESS

1

: to exclude from consciousness <repress conflicts>

2

: to inactivate (a gene or formation of a gene product) by allosteric combination at a DNA binding site

Learn More About REPRESS

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for "repress"

Spanish Central: Spanish translation of "repress"

Nglish: Translation of "repress" for Spanish speakers

Britannica English: Translation of "repress" for Arabic speakers

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