1
as in to depress
to make sad
this gloomy weather is oppressing all of us
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to overwhelm
to subject to incapacitating emotional or mental stress
a film about a man who is haunted and oppressed by the secrets of his past
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of oppress
But for now, we’re stuck in a ratchet, where violent losers copy one another, and their deeds become an excuse to oppress the rest of us.
—
Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 27 Sep. 2025
Anyone who’s in power can barely resist the urge to oppress people with less power.
—Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 23 Sep. 2025
Yet we are also invited to see the Trojans, not the native Italians, as the eastern, luxury-loving imperialist invaders who oppress a noble rustic people.
—Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025
That system brutally enforced racial segregation, which oppressed the Black majority, for 50 years before ending in 1994.
—Matthew Lee, Chicago Tribune, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oppress
Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 27 Sep. 2025
Anyone who’s in power can barely resist the urge to oppress people with less power.
—Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 23 Sep. 2025
Yet we are also invited to see the Trojans, not the native Italians, as the eastern, luxury-loving imperialist invaders who oppress a noble rustic people.
—Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025
That system brutally enforced racial segregation, which oppressed the Black majority, for 50 years before ending in 1994.
—Matthew Lee, Chicago Tribune, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oppress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oppress
Verb
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Their style of pitching — relentlessly pound the strike zone — works well in a ballpark where the thick air depresses doubles and triples.—
Tyler Kepner,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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His assaults on free speech norms come with depressing regularity.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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There's also the Manhattan Beach Pier that has a small aquarium and adds a unique centerpiece without overwhelming the coastline.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
20 Oct. 2025
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In his segment, Frankenstein’s monster (Bruno Corazzari) roams a room of red Rothko-esque paintings and is overwhelmed by music.—
Rory Doherty,
Vulture,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Nearly 60% of greater Miami renters are cost-burdened, a term for people who spend at least 30% of their monthly income on housing.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
14 Oct. 2025
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The shortages have impacted 911 call response times and have left officers feeling burdened and overworked, often having to sacrifice personal time to cover events and political rallies, Redford has said in previous interviews with The Charlotte Observer.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Though the large recall sent shockwaves through the EV space, many fans of the nameplate were left devastated because of its initial positive reception.—
Charles Singh,
Nashville Tennessean,
15 Oct. 2025
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Suspect arrest in deadly Palisades Fire The man accused of starting a fire that eventually became the deadly blaze that devastated the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles earlier this year has been indicted by a federal grand jury, the Justice Department announced Wednesday.—
Alex Stone,
ABC News,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Donnelly, meanwhile, recalled on the witness stand how he was repeatedly drowned, tortured and raped by Gacy, per court documents.—
Lynsey Eidell,
PEOPLE,
17 Oct. 2025
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To the thousands of Syrians who lost loved ones, or were tortured, imprisoned or displaced by the Assad regime, their homeland had become a crime scene from which the top suspects disappeared en masse.—
Danny Makki,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Kate Schneider and Caroline Handwerk each scored in the third quarter to separate from a halftime draw, finally overcoming a standout job from Bulldogs goalie Shealyn Murphy (15 saves).—
Tom Mulherin,
Boston Herald,
17 Oct. 2025
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The Cowboys’ defense has been so bad, not even elite quarterback play has been able to overcome it consistently.—
Mike Sando,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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District speaks out, fundraiser started In a statement to The Star, the Hickman Mills C-1 School District said they were saddened to hear about an Ingels Elementary School student’s passing.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
16 Oct. 2025
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Do not be saddened by the execution of Rainey Bethea.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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To have Jones trailing in a poll that looks relatively good for his ticket mates, though, should trouble his campaign.—
Anna Commander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
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Though he was initially troubled to find his image being used on Sora 2, the implementation of new guardrails around consent seem to have assuaged his concerns.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Oppress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oppress. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.
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