Inhibition and Repression

Inhibition

Inhibition noun - The checking of one's true feelings and impulses when dealing with others.
Usage example: an innate inhibition made it difficult for him to tell his girlfriend what he was really feeling

Repression is a synonym for inhibition in suppression topic. In some cases you can use "Repression" instead a noun "Inhibition", when it comes to topics like curbing. popular alternative

Repression

Repression noun - The checking of one's true feelings and impulses when dealing with others.
Usage example: psychologists talking about the repression of anger and how it affects one's health

Inhibition is a synonym for repression in suppression topic. You can use "Inhibition" instead a noun "Repression", if it concerns topics such as stopping. popular alternative

How words are described

emotional emotional inhibition emotional repression
sexual sexual inhibition sexual repression
Cite this Source
Repression and Inhibition. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/inhibition/repression
Inhibition & Repression. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/inhibition/repression>.
Repression or Inhibition. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/inhibition/repression.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "inhibition" and "repression" have occurred on timeline