Synonyms of repressed

repressed 1 of 2

adjective

ri-ˈprest 

as in muted

not excessively showy

a 19th-century church in the repressed style favored by the strict religious sect

Synonyms & Similar Words

• muted
• restrained
• subdued
• quiet
• conservative
• understated
• proper
• sober
• fitting
• appropriate
• low-key
• simple
• unpretentious
• suitable
• handsome
• becoming
• toned-down
• modest
• unflashy
• plain
• unadorned
• fit
• undecorated
• graceful
• inconspicuous
• sensible
• unobtrusive
• drab
• unnoticeable
• practical
• tasteful
• refined
• mousy

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• loud
• flamboyant
• noisy
• gaudy
• garish
• flaring
• ostentatious
• flashy
• swank
• glitzy
• vulgar
• splashy
• meretricious
• tawdry
• tacky
• tasteless
• trashy
• gilded
• baroque
• inelegant
• fancy
• ornate
• graceless
• overwrought
• rococo
• razzle-dazzle
• frilly
• overdecorated
• overdone

repressed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of repress

1

as in suppressed

to put a stop to (something) by the use of force

quickly repressed the rebellion in the provincial city and restored order

Synonyms & Similar Words

• suppressed
• quelled
• subdued
• silenced
• stifled
• crushed
• quashed
• sat on
• squashed
• destroyed
• squelched
• extinguished
• overcame
• snuffed (out)
• slapped down
• clamped down (on)
• cracked down (on)
• put down
• throttled
• quenched
• demolished
• obliterated
• smothered
• ruined
• subjugated
• dominated
• strangled
• wrecked
• decimated
• doused
• exterminated
• wasted
• annihilated
• put out
• overwhelmed
• vanquished
• wiped out
• conquered
• devastated
• smashed
• desolated
• overpowered
• nuked
• rubbed out

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• supported
• helped
• assisted
• aided
• backed
• provoked
• stirred
• abetted
• encouraged
• whipped (up)
• propped up
• cultivated
• instigated
• promoted
• fostered
• incited
• advanced
• nurtured
• forwarded
• fomented
• furthered
• nourished

2

as in stifled

to refrain from openly showing or uttering

you can't repress your feelings forever, so tell her how you feel about her

Synonyms & Similar Words

• stifled
• suppressed
• swallowed
• submerged
• controlled
• smothered
• contained
• strangled
• choked (back)
• held back
• managed
• governed
• pocketed
• sank
• curbed
• quashed
• checked
• quelled
• muffled
• bridled
• squelched
• bottled up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• expressed
• released
• took out
• unleashed
• vented
• loosed

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of repressed

Adjective

At 53 years old, Feng Xia, a Chinese immigrant in Montreal, finally confronts her repressed desire for women and begins a secret affair with a young Québécoise. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 16 Sep. 2026

The book covers 25 cases from Law & Order and its spinoffs’ most popular episodes, from how a woman’s repressed memory led to solving a 30-year-old cold case to the high-profile investigation of millionaire Robert Durst. — Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 14 Sep. 2026

Verb

Hole’s first three albums—Pretty on the Inside, Live Through This, and Celebrity Skin—are being repressed in various vinyl styles for release on September 18. — Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 24 July 2026

The government of husband-and-wife copresidents, Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, has been carrying out an all-out crackdown on dissent since mass social protests in 2018 that the government violently repressed. — ABC News, 10 July 2026