oppress

verb

op·​press ə-ˈpres 

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

ə-ˈpre-sər 

noun

Synonyms of oppress

• depress
• burden
• torture
• sadden
• trouble

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

If the second section presents the diagnosis, then in the footnote to Howl Ginsberg writes a prescription, because if we’re oppressed by a dark faith then the only antidote is a different one. —Literary Hub, 3 June 2026

The American origin story is rooted in the notion that George III was its vanquished villain, an irrational tyrant who oppressed the American colonists. —ABC News, 3 June 2026

Norway was itself a colonizer, and programs oppressing indigenous cultures and languages were in place well into the 1960s. —Ola Morris Innset, The Dial, 2 June 2026

Gratified right-wingers closely examined the charges and pointed to the prosecution as validation of their belief that conservative Christians across America are being oppressed by violent left-leaning protesters. —Quinta Jurecic, The Atlantic, 21 May 2026

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

Rhymes for oppress

• abbess
• abscess
• access
• address
• assess
• caress
• confess
• depress
• digress
• distress
• egress
• excess

Kids Definition

oppress

verb

op·​press ə-ˈpres 

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

-ˈpres-ər 

noun