to repress / displace
Loading your saved state.
to repress
To unconsciously banish an unpleasant memory, thought, or feeling from awareness in order to avoid having to deal with it.
Er versucht, die traumatischen Erlebnisse aus seiner Kindheit zu verdrängen.
He is trying to repress the traumatic experiences from his childhood.
The verb 'verdrängen' (to repress/displace) is inseparable. The prefix 'ver-' stays firmly attached to the verb in all sentence forms and is not separated. The past participle is therefore 'verdrängt' (without ge-).
Sie hat diese Erinnerung erfolgreich verdrängt.
She has successfully repressed this memory.
The word consists of the prefix 'ver-' and the verb 'drängen' (to push, to shove). The prefix 'ver-' here has the function of moving something away or making it disappear. 'Verdrängen' (to repress/displace) therefore literally means to push something away from its place.
Der neue Supermarkt verdrängt die kleinen Läden aus der Innenstadt.
The new supermarket is displacing the small shops from the city center.
The meaning depends strongly on the context. If the topic is psychological matters such as feelings, thoughts, or memories, the psychological meaning is intended. If the topic is physical places, markets, or positions, the meaning 'ersetzen' (to replace) or 'wegstoßen' (to push away) is intended.
Er verdrängt den Gedanken an die bevorstehende Prüfung.
He represses the thought of the upcoming exam.
In the psychological sense, 'verdrängen' (to repress) is often used with abstract nouns. Typical combinations are 'Gefühle verdrängen' (to repress feelings), 'ein Problem verdrängen' (to repress/ignore a problem), or 'ein Trauma verdrängen' (to repress a trauma).
Es ist nicht gesund, seine Ängste ständig zu verdrängen.
It is not healthy to constantly repress your fears.
to forget
'vergessen' and 'verdrängen' can both result in no longer thinking about something. 'vergessen' is general and neutral: a piece of information is simply no longer in your memory. 'verdrängen' is used more for unpleasant memories, thoughts, or feelings. It sounds as if the person is protecting themselves internally from it, often without consciously noticing. Learners may confuse the words, but 'verdrängen' does not fit normal things like a key or an appointment.
Nach dem Unfall hat Maria die schlimmen Bilder lange verdrängt.
After the accident, Maria repressed the terrible images for a long time.
Vor dem Test habe ich plötzlich die einfachste Regel vergessen.
Before the test, I suddenly forgot the simplest rule.