as in tyrant
a person who uses power or authority in a cruel, unjust, or harmful way
the dictatorship had scarcely been overthrown when the formerly oppressed suddenly abandoned their democratic ideals and became the oppressors
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Recent Examples of oppressor
From time immemorial bad men have attempted and will continue to usurp the will of the people; the cycle of the oppressed becoming oppressor is catholic.
—
Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026
While providing the soundtrack for an 1832 Paris street revolt, its message and spirit are adaptable to any time spines could use some steel when facing down an oppressor.
—Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 18 Feb. 2026
Dishwatery types become heroes; victims become oppressors.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2026
But freedom of expression is a constant pursuit, as natural as breathing, and silencing it is an imperfect practice that exhausts the oppressor and energizes the oppressed.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 28 Jan. 2026
Repressive policies will eventually create uprising against the oppressors.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 16 Jan. 2026
The film focuses on their heated debate, as some wish to fight their oppressors while others argue for a calculated escape.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Dec. 2025
This clause had been included to mitigate white citizens’ fears that if armed, Blacks would turn the weapons on their oppressors.
—Big Think, 13 Nov. 2025
Natalie Portman stars as Evey, a young working-class woman rescued from the secret police by a masked freedom fighter known only as V (Hugo Weaving), who is leading a plot to take down the oppressors in dramatic fashion.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2025
Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026
While providing the soundtrack for an 1832 Paris street revolt, its message and spirit are adaptable to any time spines could use some steel when facing down an oppressor.
—Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 18 Feb. 2026
Dishwatery types become heroes; victims become oppressors.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2026
But freedom of expression is a constant pursuit, as natural as breathing, and silencing it is an imperfect practice that exhausts the oppressor and energizes the oppressed.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 28 Jan. 2026
Repressive policies will eventually create uprising against the oppressors.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 16 Jan. 2026
The film focuses on their heated debate, as some wish to fight their oppressors while others argue for a calculated escape.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Dec. 2025
This clause had been included to mitigate white citizens’ fears that if armed, Blacks would turn the weapons on their oppressors.
—Big Think, 13 Nov. 2025
Natalie Portman stars as Evey, a young working-class woman rescued from the secret police by a masked freedom fighter known only as V (Hugo Weaving), who is leading a plot to take down the oppressors in dramatic fashion.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oppressor
Noun
-
West Canaan Coyotes coach Bud Kilmer (Jon Voight) is a racist tyrant who pushes his players past their limit in order to win.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
11 Feb. 2026
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When a tyrant falls, we may be tempted to imagine a final moment of tragic self-awareness—a personal reckoning, like Oedipus blinding himself, or Macbeth raging on the heath.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The country’s longtime dictator, Mobutu Sese Seko, had been overthrown, and a new order was being shaped under the rebel leader Laurent-Désiré Kabila.—
Nicolas Niarchos,
Vanity Fair,
20 Feb. 2026
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That job turned out to involve flying around the world in high style—often to places run by oligarchs, dictators, and fellow royals, on the basis that they would be flattered to deal with a prince.—
Helen Lewis,
The Atlantic,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Oppressor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oppressor. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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