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 me, DuBose represents the legions of oppressed and frustrated women from that era, my mother included. David Baldacci, Peoplemag, 15 Apr. 2024 Rather than framing Kid’s community as an oppressed caste, religion, or tribe, the only visible culturally specific moment involves the villagers enjoying a marionette re-telling of the Ramayana, which is interrupted by incendiary violence. Siddhant Adlakha, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024 This includes speaking up for the marginalized and oppressed, fighting for justice and liberation, and doing Jah’s work. Debra Edwards, Essence, 21 Mar. 2024 Armed resistance was a necessity for oppressed people—a perspective easy to agree with, especially when the oppression seems to foreclose any other option. Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 28 Mar. 2024 In the last book in Adeyemi's groundbreaking series, readers will finally learn the conclusion to the story of Zélie, a member of an oppressed magical group known as the maji. Lizz Schumer, Peoplemag, 26 Mar. 2024 Their campuses were already notorious in recent years for suppressing newly impermissible views about race, class, gender, and oppressed groups, and for imposing DEI ideological litmus tests on faculty and staff hiring. Paul O. Carrese, National Review, 13 Feb. 2024 Individuals from oppressed groups are given leeway to target oppressor groups through disruptions and threats. Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, The New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2024 In her debut novel, Zaher draws a Venn diagram of the glamorously neurotic and the politically oppressed, then sets her protagonist spinning in that maddening little overlap. Vulture, 2 Jan. 2024

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 23 Apr. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on oppressed

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!