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

[+]more[-]hide

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