oppression

op·pres·sion

noun \ə-ˈpre-shən\

Definition of OPPRESSION

1

a : unjust or cruel exercise of authority or power

b : something that oppresses especially in being an unjust or excessive exercise of power

2

: a sense of being weighed down in body or mind : depression

Examples of OPPRESSION

1. <suffered a lingering oppression in the weeks after his dog died>

First Known Use of OPPRESSION

14th century

Related to OPPRESSION

Synonyms

blue devils, blues, dejection, depression, desolation, despond, despondence, despondency, disconsolateness, dispiritedness, doldrums, dolefulness, downheartedness, dreariness, dumps, forlornness, gloom, gloominess, glumness, heartsickness, joylessness, melancholy, miserableness, mopes, mournfulness, sadness, sorrowfulness, unhappiness

Antonyms

bliss, blissfulness, ecstasy, elatedness, elation, euphoria, exhilaration, exuberance, exultation, felicity, gladness, gladsomeness, happiness, heaven, intoxication, joy, joyfulness, joyousness, jubilation, rapture, rapturousness

Related Words

melancholia, self-pity; anguish, dolor, grief, mourning, somberness, sorrow, woefulness; agony, distress, pain; misery, woe, wretchedness; discouragement, disheartenment; moodiness; despair, desperation, hopelessness, self-despair; boredom, ennui, tedium; dismalness, drear, morbidness, moroseness, morosity; regret, rue

Near Antonyms

gaiety (also gayety), gayness, glee, gleefulness, humor, jollity, joviality, lightheartedness, merriment, mirth, mirthfulness; cheer, cheerfulness, cheeriness, hopefulness, optimism, sunniness; content, contentedness, contentment, satisfaction; delight, gratification

Rhymes with OPPRESSION

accession, aggression, bull session, compression, concession, confession, depression, digression, discretion, egression, expression, impression, ingression, jam session, obsession, precession, procession, profession, progression, recession, refreshen, regression, repression, secession, skull session, succession, suppression, transgression