Repressive
adjective
Causing people to obey by using force or threats.
The government has been criticized for its repressive measures against protestors.
Often appears as...
- repressive regime
- repressive measures
Usage tips
Disapproving
adjective
Holding back or controlling, especially by not letting something be expressed.
His repressive upbringing led him to be very reserved as an adult.
Often appears as...
- repressive upbringing
- repressive nature
Usage tips
Disapproving
Psychological
adjective
Causing people to obey by using force or threats.
The government has been criticized for its repressive measures against protestors.
Often appears as...
- repressive regime
- repressive measures
Usage tips
Disapproving
adjective
Holding back or controlling, especially by not letting something be expressed.
His repressive upbringing led him to be very reserved as an adult.
Often appears as...
- repressive upbringing
- repressive nature
Usage tips
Disapproving
Psychological
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Oppressive Control
Indicates harsh, unjust control in a political or social context, often creating a negative atmosphere.
The repressive regime jailed peaceful demonstrators.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative Connotation
'Repressive' often suggests an abuse of power or human rights violations.
International organizations condemned the country's repressive policies.
Pro Tip 3/3Forces Obedience
Implies forcing people to follow rules or laws, usually through intimidation or coercion.
The repressive laws stifled freedom of speech.
Pro Tip 1/3Oppressive Control
Indicates harsh, unjust control in a political or social context, often creating a negative atmosphere.
The repressive regime jailed peaceful demonstrators.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative Connotation
'Repressive' often suggests an abuse of power or human rights violations.
International organizations condemned the country's repressive policies.
Pro Tip 3/3Forces Obedience
Implies forcing people to follow rules or laws, usually through intimidation or coercion.
The repressive laws stifled freedom of speech.
Pro Tip 1/3Oppressive Control
Indicates harsh, unjust control in a political or social context, often creating a negative atmosphere.
The repressive regime jailed peaceful demonstrators.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative Connotation
'Repressive' often suggests an abuse of power or human rights violations.
International organizations condemned the country's repressive policies.
Pro Tip 3/3Forces Obedience
Implies forcing people to follow rules or laws, usually through intimidation or coercion.
The repressive laws stifled freedom of speech.
Compare with
authoritariancontroldespoticdictatorialoppressivesuppresstotalitariantyrannical
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Video examples
The moral roots of...
disagreement between liberals and conservatives because liberals reject three of these foundations they say no let's celebrate diversity not common in group membership they say let's question authority and they say keep your laws off my body liberals have very noble motives for doing this traditional authority traditional morality can be quite repressive and restrictive to those at
Video examples
Jonathan Haidt: The...
and, "Let's question authority," and, "Keep your laws off my body." Liberals have very noble motives for doing this. Traditional authority and morality can be quite repressive and restrictive to those at the bottom, to women, to people who don't fit in. Liberals speak for the weak and oppressed. They want change and justice, even at the risk of chaos.
Video examples
Chimamanda Ngozi...
because our fire trucks did not have water. I grew up under repressive military governments that devalued education, so that sometimes, my parents were not paid their salaries. And so, as a child, I saw jam disappear from the breakfast table, then margarine disappeared,
Video examples
Daniel Suarez: The kill...
But if you're a repressive government searching for political enemies, you might instead remove them, eliminate them, disrupt their social group, and those who remain behind lose social cohesion and organization. Now in a world of cheap, proliferating robotic weapons,
Video examples
History vs. Vladimir...
of the century. Life may not have been luxurious, but nearly everyone had a roof over their head and food on their plate, which few countries have achieved." "But these advances could still have happened, even without Lenin and the repressive regime he established."
Video examples
Paula Scher: Great...
and the things that came at the time I walked into design were the enemy. I really, really, really hated the typeface Helvetica. I thought the typeface Helvetica was the cleanest, most boring, most fascistic, really repressive typeface,
Video examples
Storytellers Summit Day...
release it was really unbelievable and for me being in prison it meant a lot not only to me but also to my fellow prisoners right because they recognized that this was a people struggle against a repressive regime so I'll just show
Video examples
A vision for the future...
We had only one to overthrow a corrupt, repressive and single-party dictatorship that had kept itself in power for over 25 years. But in the end, it wasn't a violent coup.
Video examples
Our refugee system is...
and yet -- we have repressive policies that detain child asylum seekers, that separate children from their families,
Video examples
Ashraf Ghani: How to fix...
neither benefits from capitalism nor from democratic systems. Most of the globe experiences the state as repressive,
Video examples
The moral roots of...
disagreement between liberals and conservatives because liberals reject three of these foundations they say no let's celebrate diversity not common in group membership they say let's question authority and they say keep your laws off my body liberals have very noble motives for doing this traditional authority traditional morality can be quite repressive and restrictive to those at
Video examples
Jonathan Haidt: The...
and, "Let's question authority," and, "Keep your laws off my body." Liberals have very noble motives for doing this. Traditional authority and morality can be quite repressive and restrictive to those at the bottom, to women, to people who don't fit in. Liberals speak for the weak and oppressed. They want change and justice, even at the risk of chaos.
Video examples
Chimamanda Ngozi...
because our fire trucks did not have water. I grew up under repressive military governments that devalued education, so that sometimes, my parents were not paid their salaries. And so, as a child, I saw jam disappear from the breakfast table, then margarine disappeared,
Video examples
Daniel Suarez: The kill...
But if you're a repressive government searching for political enemies, you might instead remove them, eliminate them, disrupt their social group, and those who remain behind lose social cohesion and organization. Now in a world of cheap, proliferating robotic weapons,
Video examples
History vs. Vladimir...
of the century. Life may not have been luxurious, but nearly everyone had a roof over their head and food on their plate, which few countries have achieved." "But these advances could still have happened, even without Lenin and the repressive regime he established."
Video examples
Paula Scher: Great...
and the things that came at the time I walked into design were the enemy. I really, really, really hated the typeface Helvetica. I thought the typeface Helvetica was the cleanest, most boring, most fascistic, really repressive typeface,
Video examples
Storytellers Summit Day...
release it was really unbelievable and for me being in prison it meant a lot not only to me but also to my fellow prisoners right because they recognized that this was a people struggle against a repressive regime so I'll just show
Video examples
A vision for the future...
We had only one to overthrow a corrupt, repressive and single-party dictatorship that had kept itself in power for over 25 years. But in the end, it wasn't a violent coup.
Video examples
Our refugee system is...
and yet -- we have repressive policies that detain child asylum seekers, that separate children from their families,
Video examples
Ashraf Ghani: How to fix...
neither benefits from capitalism nor from democratic systems. Most of the globe experiences the state as repressive,
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Maz Jobrani
American Comedian
Humor is always important. There are people who help us deal with difficulty or hardship; from the concentration camps to the court jester, there was a need for humor. As long as these kinds of things exist, with repressive regimes, you need it to deal with the weight of daily life.
Quote examples
David E. Sanger
American Journalist
After more than two decades of traveling with American presidents and chief diplomats - on visits to places that have included some of the world's most repressive nations - I am used to watching leaders disappear behind closed doors.
Quote examples
Jonathan Zittrain
American Educator
One repressive state after another has had to face the dilemma of wanting abundant Internet for economic advancement, while ruing the ways in which its citizens can become empowered to express themselves fearlessly.
Quote examples
Noam Chomsky
American Activist
The only justification for repressive institutions is material and cultural deficit. But such institutions, at certain stages of history, perpetuate and produce such a deficit, and even threaten human survival.
Quote examples
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Statesman
I just think that unless you have that cohesiveness in the family unit, the male character tends to become very dominant, repressive and insensitive. So much of this comes also from a lack of education.
Quote examples
Kimberle Williams Crenshaw
American Activist
Clearly, we must denounce militaristic approaches to global unrest and find life-affirming ways to end repressive cycles of violence rooted in discrimination, humiliation, and despair.
Quote examples
Natan Sharansky
Russian Writer
Unfortunately, little attention was paid to how Arafat ruled. In fact, some saw the harsh and repressive nature of Arafat's regime as actually bolstering the prospects for peace.
Quote examples
John Kani
South African Actor
I couldn't really say that a repressive society would result in creative art. But somehow it does help, it is an ingredient, it acts as a Catalyst to a man who is committed.
Quote examples
Jimmy Wales
American Businessman
While I'm optimistic about the direction the world is headed, generally, I think there is a need for constant vigilance and pressure on repressive governments.
Quote examples
Aung San Suu Kyi
Burmese Activist
All repressive laws must be revoked, and laws introduced to protect the rights of the people.
Quote examples
Maz Jobrani
American Comedian
Humor is always important. There are people who help us deal with difficulty or hardship; from the concentration camps to the court jester, there was a need for humor. As long as these kinds of things exist, with repressive regimes, you need it to deal with the weight of daily life.
Quote examples
David E. Sanger
American Journalist
After more than two decades of traveling with American presidents and chief diplomats - on visits to places that have included some of the world's most repressive nations - I am used to watching leaders disappear behind closed doors.
Quote examples
Jonathan Zittrain
American Educator
One repressive state after another has had to face the dilemma of wanting abundant Internet for economic advancement, while ruing the ways in which its citizens can become empowered to express themselves fearlessly.
Quote examples
Noam Chomsky
American Activist
The only justification for repressive institutions is material and cultural deficit. But such institutions, at certain stages of history, perpetuate and produce such a deficit, and even threaten human survival.
Quote examples
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Statesman
I just think that unless you have that cohesiveness in the family unit, the male character tends to become very dominant, repressive and insensitive. So much of this comes also from a lack of education.
Quote examples
Kimberle Williams Crenshaw
American Activist
Clearly, we must denounce militaristic approaches to global unrest and find life-affirming ways to end repressive cycles of violence rooted in discrimination, humiliation, and despair.
Quote examples
Natan Sharansky
Russian Writer
Unfortunately, little attention was paid to how Arafat ruled. In fact, some saw the harsh and repressive nature of Arafat's regime as actually bolstering the prospects for peace.
Quote examples
John Kani
South African Actor
I couldn't really say that a repressive society would result in creative art. But somehow it does help, it is an ingredient, it acts as a Catalyst to a man who is committed.
Quote examples
Jimmy Wales
American Businessman
While I'm optimistic about the direction the world is headed, generally, I think there is a need for constant vigilance and pressure on repressive governments.
Quote examples
Aung San Suu Kyi
Burmese Activist
All repressive laws must be revoked, and laws introduced to protect the rights of the people.
Example 1 of 10
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