oppressed

adjective

op·​pressed ə-ˈprest How to pronounce oppressed (audio)
: burdened by abuse of power or authority
Group identity in oppressed groups is always very strategic, always a calculation of advantage.Shelby Steele
They are neither oppressed minorities, whose needs have been etched into the nation's consciousness, nor members of the ruling elite, born with their hands on the reins of power.Anthony DeCurtis

Examples of oppressed in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web For many women, particularly those from oppressed and marginalized backgrounds, speaking up and reporting abuse presents considerable challenges. Janice Gassam Asare, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023 Throughout his 40-year career, this award-winning artist has transformed the history of oppressed and stereotyped segments of the American experience into lyrical two-dimensional master works. Okla Jones, Essence, 31 Oct. 2023 Out of a desire to help oppressed groups, that is, grew an ideology that ultimately reifies identity and rejects the possibility of cross-group solidarity. Samuel Clowes Huneke, The New Republic, 26 Oct. 2023 In each fictional universe, an oppressed group stages a revolution that fights for political and economic freedom. Michael Allen, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2023 Recommended Perseverance For this Ukrainian veteran, why Russians fight is still a puzzle Lessons from the Dalits Dr. Ambedkar was a leader in India’s independence movement in the 1930s as well as a member of the country’s oppressed Dalit group. Marc Loustau, The Christian Science Monitor, 6 Sep. 2023 However, women remain deeply oppressed under the Taliban, having been mostly banned from public life, workplaces, and school beyond the sixth grade. Justin Klawans, The Week, 25 June 2023 One of whom is Gallatin, an elf and warrior who creates more plot-handy conflict by clashing with the elven queen Francesca over the right way to find liberation for their oppressed people. Philip Ellis, Men's Health, 4 July 2023 The premise quickly expands to a recognizable metaphor of prejudice, with fire people—talking pillars of flame that struggle not to set things on fire—functioning as an oppressed underclass who strive to fit in with the other elements. David Sims, The Atlantic, 21 June 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'oppressed.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1608, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of oppressed was in 1608

Dictionary Entries Near oppressed

Cite this Entry

“Oppressed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oppressed. Accessed 9 Dec. 2023.

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