oppressed 1 of 2

adjective

ə-ˈprest How to pronounce oppressed (audio)
Definition of oppressednext
as in persecuted
suffering grave abuse or injustice at the hands of one in authority setting out on a quixotic quest to right wrongs and to raise up the oppressed peoples of the world

Synonyms & Similar Words

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oppressed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of oppress
1
as in depressed
to make sad this gloomy weather is oppressing all of us

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in overwhelmed
to subject to incapacitating emotional or mental stress a film about a man who is haunted and oppressed by the secrets of his past

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of oppressed
Adjective
Al-Mousawi, of the historically oppressed Shia Muslim faith, was previously detained and had served about 11 years as a political prisoner following arrests across the region in the wake of the Arab Spring, said Alwadaei of BIRD. — Jane Lytvynenko, NBC news, 17 Apr. 2026 Dahl had no record of support for other minority, oppressed or marginalized group. — Alan M. Dershowitz, New York Daily News, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
If the second section presents the diagnosis, then in the footnote to Howl Ginsberg writes a prescription, because if we’re oppressed by a dark faith then the only antidote is a different one. — Literary Hub, 3 June 2026 The American origin story is rooted in the notion that George III was its vanquished villain, an irrational tyrant who oppressed the American colonists. — ABC News, 3 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for oppressed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oppressed
  1. depressed
  2. overwhelmed
  3. troubled
  4. devastated
  5. tortured
  6. overcame
  7. burdened
  8. crushed
Verb
  • In addition, the way graduation rates are reported across BIE schools was changed to address flawed data collection that previously depressed the numbers.
    — Savannah Peters, Fortune, 13 July 2026
  • Rising costs of components, supply chain constraints, and weaker consumer demand that are all partly linked to the Iran war have depressed smartphone sales in much of the continent, resulting in the slowest growth of shipments to Africa in two years, research firm Omdia said.
    — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 8 June 2026
Definition of depressed
Verb
  • At least two people have died as catastrophic flooding has stricken Texas Hill Country, a little over a year after rains overwhelmed the same region's Guadalupe River, causing flooding that killed over 130 people.
    — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 17 July 2026
  • There was some light criticism, although it was overwhelmed by the praise.
    — Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 15 July 2026
Definition of overwhelmed
Verb
  • Reaction to Vatican excommunication De Piante said a handful of families skipped the first Sunday mass after the Vatican’s declaration because they were troubled by the news.
    — Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 15 July 2026
  • Our conversation also forced me to confront something that has long troubled me about the public debate surrounding health equity.
    — Sachin H. Jain, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
Definition of troubled
Verb
  • The clinics are stocked with medical supplies and generators to help restore healthcare in communities devastated by the earthquakes.
    — Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 22 July 2026
  • The fire in rural Guadalajara comes less than two weeks after a deadly blaze devastated a small expat community in southern Spain.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 July 2026
Definition of devastated
Verb
  • Where the film diverts from the norm lies in the unique, complicated characters and their weird, tortured even touching relationships.
    — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 16 July 2026
  • Along these routes, the bulldozers piled up mounds to enclose fortified compounds, military outposts and detention facilities where Palestinians were interrogated and tortured.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 July 2026
Definition of tortured
Verb
  • The ship overcame the engine failure and continued flying toward a pinpoint water landing in the Indian Ocean, but SpaceX had to skip an attempt to reignite a Raptor engine in space.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 17 July 2026
  • The Kings nearly overcame a 16-point deficit, but the Celtics held on for an 82-76 victory at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
    — Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 16 July 2026
Definition of overcame
Verb
  • In the United States, nearly half of all renter households for whom rent burden is calculated were cost-burdened and, according to the Pew Research Center, 69 per cent of Americans are very concerned about the cost of housing.
    — Belonging Forum, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • Because buildings have become burdened with billboards and air conditioners, even those considered safe could collapse as a result of the additional weight.
    — Andrei Popoviciu, The Dial, 21 July 2026
Definition of burdened
Verb
  • The Endurance had been trapped in Antarctic pack ice for ten months before the pressure finally crushed its hull.
    — Aytekin Tank, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • Lieberman came back, running as an independent, and crushed Lamont in the general election.
    — Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 20 July 2026
Definition of crushed

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Cite this Entry

“Oppressed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oppressed. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of oppressed for Spanish Speakers

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