repressive conditions

USAGE SUMMARY

"repressive conditions" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe situations or environments that suppress freedom or expression. Example: "The citizens lived under repressive conditions that stifled their voices." Alternative expressions include "oppressive circumstances" and "restrictive environment."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

26 human-written examples

She dismisses our reliance on "opinion polls taken under repressive conditions".

The New York Times - Books

"At the same time, Chinese workers are suffering under repressive conditions and are denied their most fundamental rights.

The New York Times

On the basis of opinion polls taken under repressive conditions, the Leveretts write that most Iranians support their government's crackdown on protesters after the 2009 election.

The New York Times - Books

Graham asserts that contrary to the famous example of Trofim Lysenko and his pseudogenetics, Andrei Sakharov was an example of a scientist who produced his best work under repressive conditions.

The New York Times - Books

During a five-day visit, residents complained that they live in repressive conditions of undeclared martial law, subjected to random searches, arrests, extortion and intimidation at more than 100 checkpoints with gun emplacements, razor wire and barricades.

The New York Times

A surprise Bafta nominee this year, the film was equally difficult to make: those same repressive conditions meant Gharavi had to film secretly and smuggle her footage out of Iran.

The Guardian - Film

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

34 human-written examples

Describing the attacks on him after his Iraq visit, Penn wrote that he "experienced first hand the repressive condition of public debate in our country...I was beginning to feel the price paid by a citizen exercising a position of dissent".

The Guardian

Regulation via nucleosome dynamics is apt for genes that are transcribed at very high rate since it can allow a quick regulatory response in adverse conditions and transcription can resume as soon as repressive condition is over.

BMC Genomics

We note that in these experiments, we never observed a constant steady-state fluorescence signal due to the fact that SFGFP is not degraded (or is not diluted) in the TX-TL reaction during the time scale of the experiment (i.e., because SFGFP is not degraded, we always observed an increase in fluorescence over time even in the antisense repressive condition).

ACS Synthetic Biology

The CDC15 synchronization time-course presented a marked peak of yca1 expression at a time following the second G1/S transition post release from growth-repressive conditions (Figure S1, t = 150 min).

Plosone

The overall xylose transport performance of native S. cerevisiae was dependent on carbon source and concentration, and was highest under non-repressive conditions (xylose or low glucose).

Biotechnology for Biofuels

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "repressive conditions", ensure the context clearly indicates what freedoms or rights are being suppressed. Specificity enhances the impact and understanding of your message.

Common error

Avoid using "repressive conditions" in situations that are merely challenging or difficult, but not genuinely oppressive. Overusing the phrase diminishes its impact when describing true instances of repression.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "repressive conditions" primarily functions as a noun phrase, where the adjective "repressive" modifies the noun "conditions". This phrase typically serves to describe scenarios or environments characterized by suppression and lack of freedom, as indicated by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

58%

Science

38%

Formal & Business

4%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

4%

Reference

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "repressive conditions" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase that describes situations where freedom and rights are suppressed. As shown by Ludwig, it is commonly found in News & Media and scientific contexts. While its usage is generally neutral, it's important to use this phrase accurately to describe situations of genuine oppression, avoiding overuse in less severe contexts. Alternative phrases like "oppressive environment" or "restrictive circumstances" can be considered depending on the nuance you want to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Oppressive environment

Focuses on the environment being oppressive rather than the conditions specifically.

Restrictive circumstances

Emphasizes the limiting nature of the circumstances.

Oppressive rule

Emphasizes the oppressive nature of the governance.

Suppressive atmosphere

Emphasizes the act of suppressing freedom and expression.

Authoritarian rule

Highlights the nature of the governance imposing the conditions.

Coercive environment

Highlights the use of coercion to maintain the conditions.

Tyrannical regime

Similar to authoritarian rule but with a stronger negative connotation.

Stifling atmosphere

Concentrates on the atmosphere being restrictive and suffocating.

Controlled environment

Focuses on the control aspect, potentially lacking the negative judgment.

Harsh realities

Shifts the focus to the severe nature of the lived experience.

FAQs

How can I use "repressive conditions" in a sentence?

You can use "repressive conditions" to describe environments where freedoms are curtailed, such as: "The journalist reported on the "repressive conditions" in the authoritarian state."

What are some alternatives to "repressive conditions"?

Consider using alternatives like "oppressive environment", "restrictive circumstances", or "authoritarian rule", depending on the specific context you want to emphasize.

Is it appropriate to use "repressive conditions" to describe a difficult work environment?

While a difficult work environment might feel restrictive, "repressive conditions" is more accurately used to describe situations involving systemic suppression of rights or freedoms. Consider alternatives like "challenging work environment" or "high-pressure situation".

What distinguishes "repressive conditions" from simply "difficult conditions"?

"Repressive conditions" specifically imply the active suppression of rights, freedoms, or expressions. "Difficult conditions" refers to challenging circumstances without necessarily involving deliberate oppression. The key difference lies in the presence of active suppression versus passive difficulty.