diff --git a/src/sage/combinat/subword.py b/src/sage/combinat/subword.py
index b30e7ed2acb..9f221cbcaa8 100644
--- a/src/sage/combinat/subword.py
+++ b/src/sage/combinat/subword.py
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ def __reduce__(self):
         """
         return (Subwords_w, (self._w, self._build))
 
-    def __repr__(self) -> str:
+    def _repr_(self) -> str:
         """
         TESTS::
 
@@ -372,14 +372,14 @@ def __reduce__(self):
         """
         return (Subwords_wk, (self._w, self._k, self._build))
 
-    def __repr__(self) -> str:
+    def _repr_(self) -> str:
         """
         TESTS::
 
             sage: repr(Subwords([1,2,3],2))  # indirect doctest
             'Subwords of [1, 2, 3] of length 2'
         """
-        return "{} of length {}".format(Subwords_w.__repr__(self), self._k)
+        return "{} of length {}".format(Subwords_w._repr_(self), self._k)
 
     def __contains__(self, w) -> bool:
         """