抑え込む

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 抑え込む combines 抑える with 込む and is a transitive verb for firmly subduing a target or suppressing an emotion within oneself.
• Basic usage: The restrained person or suppressed feeling is marked by を, as in 男を抑え込む and 不安を抑え込む.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Physical and emotional restraint
  • The same verb can describe pinning a person so that he cannot move or keeping anxiety from being expressed.
• Force added by 込む
  • The compound suggests carrying the restraint firmly through, rather than merely holding or checking something momentarily.