OPPRESSES Synonyms: 89 Similar and Opposite Words

oppresses

verb

present tense third-person singular of oppress

as in depresses

to make sad this gloomy weather is oppressing all of us

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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 oppresses It is governed by a brutal regime that oppresses its people and is an enemy to the United States. — The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 5 Mar. 2026 His policies have been instrumental in dismantling the criminal enterprise that oppresses the Venezuelan people. — Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025 White supremacy oppresses all of humanity. — Monifa Dayo, San Francisco Chronicle, 5 Oct. 2020

Recent Examples of Synonyms for oppresses

Verb

Nevertheless, something might occur at work that depresses you.

— Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 10 June 2026
The risk is that China inspires its trading partners to resort to a protectionism that depresses prosperity for everyone.

— Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 3 June 2026

Definition of depresses

Verb

One person has died and rescues are underway as catastrophic flooding overwhelms the Hill Country, a little more than a year after the July 4 floods killed more than 130 people in Central Texas.

— Mary Ella Hastings July 16, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 July 2026
Furniture that is too large for a room overwhelms it; ensure your furniture is appropriate for your room size and the other pieces in that room.

— Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 11 July 2026

Definition of overwhelms

Verb

The breakup devastates both Charlie and Nick, who both resist their respective urges to reach out to one another, and Elle, Tao and Isaac Henderson (Tobie Donovan) come to Charlie’s home to look after him post-split.

— Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026
So when the dog is lost in a severe storm that devastates the region and leaves many homeless, an overwhelmed Rose must balance the urgency of her search mission alongside the misfortune of others close to her.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 8 June 2026

Definition of devastates

Verb

The legal scholars watching this expect the eventual fights to turn on old questions, whether a state law unduly burdens interstate commerce, whether federal rules quietly override it.

— Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026
The renter’s credit is part of a larger but stalled push to rebalance Connecticut’s upside-down tax system, one the state’s own analysts conclude excessively burdens the poor and middle class.

— Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 15 June 2026

Definition of burdens

Browse Nearby Words

oppressed

oppresses

oppressing

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Oppresses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oppresses. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of oppresses

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on oppresses

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

mitigate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Popular in Wordplay

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes