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 On Wednesday evening, our plucky champion of America’s downtrodden masses, and the Democratic nominee for Senate, was in Chicago for a fundraiser with JB Pritzker. Rob Crilly, The Washington Examiner, 25 June 2026 My resting face is downtrodden. Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 21 June 2026 Deutch's Gail enlists the help of Otto (Miles Gutierrez-Riley), Caleb (Wang), Vincent (Ken Marino) and John Slattery (playing a hilariously downtrodden version of himself) to track down Hamm in his home turf of Hollywood. Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 27 May 2026 Last week, a CNN poll showed Americans broadly feel downtrodden about their financial situations. David Goldman, CNN Money, 21 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for downtrodden
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downtrodden
oppressed
Adjective
  • All of us artists could stand to be more like Mark, willing to speak out for oppressed people everywhere, even when powerful people try to bully us into silence.
    Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Ella is a young woman cursed to obey all instructions whose quest for self-determination also turns her into an advocate for the kingdom’s oppressed elves and ogres.
    Chris Bellamy, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Downtrodden.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downtrodden. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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