as in persecuted
suffering grave abuse or injustice at the hands of one in authority
setting out on a quixotic quest to right wrongs and to raise up the oppressed peoples of the world
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in depressed
to make sad
this gloomy weather is oppressing all of us
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in overwhelmed
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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show current usage.
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Recent Examples of oppressed
USA Today, 8 Mar. 2026
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
Cbs Chicago Team, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026
The authoritarian regime has brutally oppressed the people of Iran for generations.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for oppressed
Adjective
The tiny minority that held this fragile wealth has long needed protection, both from the vast numbers of oppressed people needed to extract it and from the federal government determined to protect them.
—USA Today, 8 Mar. 2026
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
Verb
Jesse Jackson was an ambassador of hope for the oppressed, who met with kings and queens and presidents and dictators and clergy of all the great religions.
—Cbs Chicago Team, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026
The authoritarian regime has brutally oppressed the people of Iran for generations.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for oppressed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oppressed
Verb
-
More than half of Premier League front-of-shirt deals are due for renewal and, with betting-advertising regulations changing, the industry feedback is that sponsorship levels on offer have been depressed somewhat.—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
-
Don’t be depressed, the song tells us.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
The feeling overwhelmed him even as his jaw ached and his throat compressed in the second quarter of the Minnesota Timberwolves’ 114-109 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 4 of their Western Conference semifinal series on Sunday.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
-
Building a Chaos Innovation Muscle Most organizations are overwhelmed by cultural chaos.—
Sarah DaVanzo,
Rolling Stone,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
Lucas wrote in a series of social media posts last week that he was disappointed and troubled by the accusations.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
12 May 2026
-
For years, the multibillion-dollar industry has been troubled by its share of baroque and tragic scandals.—
Ava Kofman,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
Kim, 42, said she's devastated for her daughter and upset that her seizures were initially brushed off before the cardiac arrest occurred.—
Vanessa Etienne,
PEOPLE,
8 May 2026
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The deadly fires that devastated homes in Pacific Palisades and Altadena also laid waste to a lush canopy of leaves and pine needles that had cooled and shaded residents here for generations.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
Verb
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Barahona and his wife, Carmen, beat and tortured the twins, tying them with electrical cord and shocking them in a bathtub with the door locked, investigators said.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
6 May 2026
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The expression on Moss-Bachrach’s face is tortured and tired, like just thinking about this awful day with Mikey took time off his life — and then, another awful thing.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
5 May 2026
Verb
-
Wembanyama’s box-score-filling performance overcame the heroics of Edwards.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
10 May 2026
-
Blanco ignited the Spartans, who overcame a 5-1 deficit.—
Patrick Z. McGavin,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Instead, poor Jack is burdened with the task of telling the story of Willie Stark’s rise from the vantage of Willie Stark’s fall.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
12 May 2026
-
For decades, utilities just reacted to maintenance problems, burdened by high supply costs and weak balance sheets.—
Ken Silverstein,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
Shaw’s goals, an equalizer and a go-ahead winner to send City to the final at Wembley Stadium, crushed an already dismal Chelsea spirit.—
Melanie Anzidei,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
-
Shake good and hard for eight to 10 seconds, strain into a rocks or tall glass onto cracked or crushed ice, and garnish with a lime wheel, wedge, or peel.—
Jason O'Bryan,
Robb Report,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Oppressed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oppressed. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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