English Reference
Adjective

repressed

adj.
C1 Advanced US /ɹiˈpɹɛst/ UK /ɹɪpɹˈɛst/ re·pressed Medicine

adj.keeping your feelings or desires hidden and not allowing yourself to express them. It often describes someone who is unable to show their true emotions because of social pressure or past experiences.

adj.characterised by the suppression of impulses, emotions, or memories, particularly those that are socially unacceptable or psychologically painful. Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'seem' or 'remain'.


SIMPLE

He is very repressed and never talks about his feelings.

CONTEXTUAL

The character in the novel is a repressed clerk who finally finds his voice after moving to a new city.

COMPLEX

Psychologists argue that repressed memories can manifest as physical symptoms if the individual does not find a healthy outlet for their underlying emotional trauma.

Usage

Often functions as a participial adjective; frequently appears before nouns like 'emotions', 'desires', or 'memories'.


Etymology 1

From repress + -ed.

Etymology 2

From re- + pressed.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Frequent
Updated