repressed urges

USAGE SUMMARY

"repressed urges" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in reference to unconscious, unexpressed desires that individuals feel they are unable or unwilling to express. For example, "He kept his repressed urges hidden in the depths of his subconscious."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Books

Psychology

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

And pop culture's repressed urges find their ideal champion.

The New Yorker

If you could peer into your lover's mind, would you be overwhelmed by what you saw — adulterous thoughts, repressed urges, homicidal fantasies?

The New York Times - Books

Though Jung agreed with Freud's basic theory that the unconscious mind existed beyond the reach of consciousness and yet influenced human behavior, he believed Freud's conception of it as a dark vault of repressed urges and denied emotions was incomplete and unnecessarily negative — too focused on neurosis.

The New York Times - Books

Or are we truly so toned down in our manhood and wholly dedicated in our parenting that we won't even 'fess up to certain repressed urges, like the one to stay home alone watching "Battleship Potemkin" and "The Seven Samurai" while eating nonorganic popcorn with our mouths open?

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

But the play's roiling undercurrents — of melancholy, frustration, romantic longing, repressed primal urges — still resonate.

The New York Times

Movies like this tend to believe a villain with repressed homosexual urges is much funnier than one without.

The New York Times

According to Freud's analysis, the horse phobia was a reflection of repressed sexual urges for his mother and aggression against his father, said Dr. Allan Compton, a Los Angeles psychiatrist.

The New York Times - Health

Even the best-known of her early detractors, Lytton Strachey, who decided her energy could only be the result of repressed erotic urges, was forced into admiration for her achievements.

The Guardian - Books

In his recent book, The Social Animal, David Brooks observes that 21st century sciences are showing how the unconscious parts of the mind "are not dark caverns of repressed sexual urges".

The Guardian - Opinion

In his recent book, The Social Animal, David Brooks observes that 21st century sciences are showing how the unconscious parts of the mind "are not dark caverns of repressed sexual urges". Jung wrote precisely that 100 years ago, and neuroscientists, psychologists and economists of today might find parts of Jung a highly suggestive read.

The Guardian - Opinion

Besides cheese and pepperoni, the fake website also listed "sausage (The big thick kind)," "discrimination," and "repressed homosexual urges" as toppings.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "repressed urges", consider the psychological implications and whether the context genuinely suggests unconscious or deeply hidden desires rather than merely unexpressed ones.

Common error

Avoid using "repressed urges" in contexts where simple desires are merely unfulfilled or unacted upon. The term implies a deeper psychological process of suppression.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "repressed urges" functions primarily as a noun phrase, often acting as the subject or object of a sentence. It describes the state of having desires or impulses that are being actively suppressed from conscious awareness. As shown in Ludwig, it is a concept rooted in psychological theory.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Books

20%

Science

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "repressed urges" refers to desires or impulses that are actively pushed out of conscious awareness, a concept deeply rooted in psychological theory. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically sound and commonly used, particularly in contexts related to news, media, literature, and psychological analysis. The phrase is more formal than everyday language. When writing, it's important to ensure the context genuinely implies a deeper psychological suppression rather than just unfulfilled desires.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

suppressed desires

Focuses on the conscious act of holding back desires.

inhibited desires

Highlights the restraint placed upon the desires, preventing their expression.

hidden impulses

Highlights the secretive nature of the urges.

latent desires

Suggests that the desires are present but not currently active or manifest.

unacknowledged longings

Emphasizes the lack of recognition or acceptance of certain desires.

unconscious cravings

Points to desires that may not be fully recognized by the individual.

unexpressed yearnings

Highlights the longing or yearning nature of the suppressed feelings.

sublimated drives

Implies a redirection of unacceptable urges into more socially acceptable behaviors.

pent-up feelings

Focuses on the emotional aspect of holding back urges.

bottled-up emotions

Similar to pent-up feelings, but with a stronger connotation of potential explosion.

FAQs

How does Freudian theory relate to "repressed urges"?

In Freudian psychology, "repressed urges" are desires or impulses that are pushed into the unconscious mind because they are considered unacceptable to the conscious mind. These urges can still influence behavior, often in disguised forms.

What are some potential synonyms for "repressed urges"?

Depending on the context, you could use synonyms like "suppressed desires", "hidden impulses", or "unacknowledged longings".

In what contexts is it appropriate to use the phrase "repressed urges"?

The phrase is appropriate in psychological, literary, or analytical contexts where the focus is on hidden or unconscious motivations. It's often used when discussing characters in fiction or in psychological analyses.

What's the difference between "repressed urges" and simply having unfulfilled desires?

"Repressed urges" implies a psychological mechanism where desires are actively pushed out of conscious awareness, often due to societal or personal disapproval. Unfulfilled desires are simply desires that haven't been acted upon, without the implication of active repression.