Definition of downtroddennext
as in oppressed
suffering grave abuse or injustice at the hands of one in authority a war that was supposed to liberate the downtrodden citizens of that nation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of downtrodden Tapping the engineer behind Johnny Cash renditions of Soundgarden and Glenn Danzig tunes casts Childers’s stories of downtrodden Americans in a new light. Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025 The exuberant Daniels was much more downtrodden, and there seemed to be many thoughts running through his mind. Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 28 Nov. 2025 Not in any way, uh, a downtrodden victim. Deborah Unger, Scientific American, 5 Nov. 2025 Much of her derision is reserved for Joe (Adam Godley), her downtrodden husband and more pragmatic partner-in-crime. Jon O'Brien, IndieWire, 30 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for downtrodden
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downtrodden
oppressed
Adjective
  • Trump may hope that Americans will rally behind a campaign to rid the world of a bloody terrorist regime and give an oppressed people a chance at freedom.
    Steve Chapman, Chicago Tribune, 4 Mar. 2026
  • Alper used his speech to express solidarity with oppressed people everywhere.
    Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 21 Feb. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Downtrodden.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downtrodden. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on downtrodden

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!

More from Merriam-Webster