1
as in depresses
to make sad
this gloomy weather is oppressing all of us
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in overwhelms
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 oppresses
It is governed by a brutal regime that oppresses its people and is an enemy to the United States.
—
Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 28 Feb. 2026
His policies have been instrumental in dismantling the criminal enterprise that oppresses the Venezuelan people.
—Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 28 Feb. 2026
His policies have been instrumental in dismantling the criminal enterprise that oppresses the Venezuelan people.
—Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oppresses
Verb
-
Usually a warm El Nino spikes temperatures and its cool La Nina flip side depresses temperatures.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Empirical studies confirm that reliance on large donors depresses participation in time-intensive legislative activities—things such as bill sponsorship, floor debate, and committee work.—
Duncan Hosie,
The Atlantic,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Additionally, some of the visual scenery projected behind and above the set doesn’t always embrace but overwhelms the acting below.—
Christopher Smith,
Oc Register,
18 Feb. 2026
-
In practice, fluent dialogue quickly overwhelms reflective distance.—
Deb Roy,
The Atlantic,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The retrospection tortures her.—
Alexandra Rockey Fleming,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Later, in one of the movie's most satisfying scenes, Millie locks Andrew in the attic and tortures him by loudly smashing each plate.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Kyiv residents endure long daily blackouts as Russia devastates the power system, leaving tower block dwellers freezing in apartments with no heat or light.—
Derek Gatopoulos,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Jan. 2026
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Exacerbating the problem, unpredictable rainfall cycling between drought and floods further devastates the region.—
Nina Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
However, that really saddens me now.—
Abigail Wise,
Outside,
3 Jan. 2026
-
Being stuck in the middle is what saddens the Others.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
21 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
LithSonic overcomes this challenge by using supersonic flow, similar to the conditions inside a rocket engine, to achieve ultra-rapid cooling through a process known as shock quenching.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Feb. 2026
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After a sluggish start, Texas overcomes a 14-point deficit to tie the game before OU's Xzayvier Brown hits a 3-pointer to give his team the halftime lead.—
Thomas Jones,
Austin American Statesman,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
For Moore, the resident who is leading the charge against the cameras, potential surveillance of the immigrant community is what troubles her the most.—
John Aguilar,
Denver Post,
10 Feb. 2026
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What troubles C0llins—and many tax practitioners—most is not just the delay, but the way the IRS communicates during it.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The tariffs represent economic waste that burdens American consumers with no offsetting benefits.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Supporters say securing transportation, getting time off and having to repeat visits unnecessarily burdens low-income women.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Oppresses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oppresses. Accessed 5 Mar. 2026.
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