oppress

verb

op·​press ə-ˈpres How to pronounce oppress (audio)
oppressed; oppressing; oppresses

transitive verb

1
a
: to crush or burden by abuse of power or authority
The country has long been oppressed by a ruthless dictator.
oppressed minorities
b
archaic : suppress
2
: to burden spiritually or mentally : weigh heavily upon
oppressed by a sense of failure
oppress by intolerable guilt
oppressor noun
Choose the Right Synonym for oppress

wrong, oppress, persecute, aggrieve mean to injure unjustly or outrageously.

wrong implies inflicting injury either unmerited or out of proportion to what one deserves.

a penal system that had wronged him

oppress suggests inhumane imposing of burdens one cannot endure or exacting more than one can perform.

a people oppressed by a warmongering tyrant

persecute implies a relentless and unremitting subjection to annoyance or suffering.

a child persecuted by constant criticism

aggrieve implies suffering caused by an infringement or denial of rights.

a legal aid society representing aggrieved minority groups

Examples of oppress in a Sentence

The country has long been oppressed by a ruthless dictator. They condemned attempts by the government to oppress its citizens. people who have traditionally been oppressed by society
Recent Examples on the Web Her mother is a devout Christian whose relentless proselytizing has long oppressed and angered her. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2024 After all, how can a man propped up as the symbol of the poor, disabled, and oppressed simultaneously be the oppressor? Richard Newby, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Oct. 2024 Her art offers the world a chance to learn about the richly complicated reality underneath the schematic picture of Israel as a society of oppressors and oppressed that is all too often disseminated by anti-Zionists. Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 5 Oct. 2024 As global systems continue to fail humanity and all life on Earth, the journey taken by trans people – and all peoples who have been oppressed – is a blueprint of possibility. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 4 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for oppress 

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

Word History

Etymology

Middle English oppressen "to put pressure on, crush, burden, overwhelm," borrowed from Anglo-French oppresser, borrowed from Medieval Latin oppressāre, frequentative derivative from Latin oppressus, past participle of opprimere "to press on, stifle, overpower," from ob- ob- + premere "to press" — more at press entry 2

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Time Traveler
The first known use of oppress was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near oppress

Cite this Entry

“Oppress.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oppress. Accessed 15 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

oppress

verb
op·​press ə-ˈpres How to pronounce oppress (audio)
1
: to control or rule in a harsh or cruel way
a country oppressed by a dictator
2
: to cause to feel burdened in spirit
oppressed by grief
oppressor noun

More from Merriam-Webster on oppress

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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