Noun: repression ri'pre-shun
- A state of forcible subjugation
"the long repression of Christian sects"
- (psychiatry) the classical defence mechanism that protects you from impulses or ideas that would cause anxiety by preventing them from becoming conscious
"His repression of traumatic memories made it difficult for him to process the event"
- The act of repressing; control by holding down
"his goal was the repression of insolence"
Derived forms: repressions
Type of: control, defence [Brit, Cdn], defence mechanism [Brit, Cdn], defence reaction [Brit, Cdn], defense [US], defense mechanism [US], defense reaction [US], subjection, subjugation
Encyclopedia: Repression