oppressive

adjective

op·pres·sive | \ ə-ˈpre-siv

Definition of oppressive

1 : unreasonably burdensome or severe oppressive legislation oppressive taxes the oppressive power of corporations and Wall Street— Jim Hightower

2 : tyrannical an oppressive government

3 : overwhelming or depressing to the spirit or senses an oppressive climate the dusty drabness that was oppressive in its uneventfulness— Geoffrey Moorhouse

Other Words from oppressive Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about oppressive

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Choose the Right Synonym for oppressive

onerous, burdensome, oppressive, exacting mean imposing hardship. onerous stresses being laborious and heavy especially because distasteful. the onerous task of cleaning up the mess burdensome suggests causing mental as well as physical strain. burdensome responsibilities oppressive implies extreme harshness or severity in what is imposed. the oppressive tyranny of a police state exacting implies rigor or sternness rather than tyranny or injustice in the demands made or in the one demanding. an exacting employer

Examples of oppressive in a Sentence

The country is ruled by an oppressive regime. I think these laws are oppressive. This region suffers from oppressive heat in the summer months. The situation was extremely tense; no one said a word, and the silence was oppressive.

Recent Examples on the Web

About 45 minutes north of Orlando, Blue Spring State Park serves as a welcome respite from the oppressive heat of summer. — Patrick Connolly, orlandosentinel.com, "Florida Springs Guide: Blue Spring State Park," 25 June 2019 But given the reality that there are oppressive systems and hegemonies of power currently in place that enforce narrow gender expectations and beauty ideals, undergoing FFS was the right choice for me. — Serena Daniari, Allure, "The Complicated Process of Undergoing Facial-Feminization Surgery, and Why I Did It," 23 Mar. 2019 With the oppressive heat that takes over the city of New Orleans in the summer, and during ESSENCE Festival, many have elected to wear the protective style for that weekend, making hair prep a one and done process (moisturize and go). — Shalwah Evans, Essence, "11 Ways To Change Up Your Braids For ESSENCE Festival," 12 June 2019 As summer starts to sizzle and temperatures continue to rise, our homes can offer little refuge from the oppressive heat and humidity. — Joseph Truini, Popular Mechanics, "How To Cool Down a Room (Without Blasting A/C)," 7 June 2019 Or first oppressive, humid summer, for that matter. — Darla Guillen Gilthorpe, Houston Chronicle, "Houston's best patio bars & restaurants, June 2019," 7 June 2019 Workplaces can be oppressive: Molly is, at first, undermined both by her boss and her co-workers. — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, "Review: Late Night Is a Pitch-Perfect Workplace Comedy," 7 June 2019 This kind of reductive thinking is oppressive to people of all genders. — Carolyn L. Todd, SELF, "10 Questions You’ve Always Wondered About Your Libido," 15 May 2019 Therefore those at the top of the hierarchy are logically the most oppressive, and the extraordinary success and achievements and prosperity of American Jews are thereby deeply suspicious. — Andrew Sullivan, Daily Intelligencer, "The World Is Better Than Ever. Why Are We Miserable?," 9 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'oppressive.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.