1
as in torturing
to make sad
this gloomy weather is oppressing all of us
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in overcoming
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 oppressing
Norway was itself a colonizer, and programs oppressing indigenous cultures and languages were in place well into the 1960s.
—
Ola Morris Innset, The Dial, 2 June 2026
Having been raised not too far from similarly-minded environs, this Turkish critic knows that keeping a pure and noble familial slate in patriarchy often means oppressing women.
—Tomris Laffly, Variety, 20 May 2026
Israel has been grievously oppressing people in its area who are not Jewish.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 14 May 2026
Underlying such obvious acts of aggression lies an insidious tendency for transnational repression to flow from despots into democracies, oppressing lawyers of all nationalities in the process.
—Irwin Cotler, Time, 8 May 2026
In Russia, Cuba, Iran, Belarus, and Uganda, dictatorships have carried on for decades—oppressing and killing their people, attacking their neighbors, and destabilizing their regions.
—Garry Kasparov, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2026
Now, the Franciscan missionaries oppressing the Native Americans in the painting had arrows piercing their heads and bodies.
—Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 6 Sep. 2025
Ola Morris Innset, The Dial, 2 June 2026
Having been raised not too far from similarly-minded environs, this Turkish critic knows that keeping a pure and noble familial slate in patriarchy often means oppressing women.
—Tomris Laffly, Variety, 20 May 2026
Israel has been grievously oppressing people in its area who are not Jewish.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 14 May 2026
Underlying such obvious acts of aggression lies an insidious tendency for transnational repression to flow from despots into democracies, oppressing lawyers of all nationalities in the process.
—Irwin Cotler, Time, 8 May 2026
In Russia, Cuba, Iran, Belarus, and Uganda, dictatorships have carried on for decades—oppressing and killing their people, attacking their neighbors, and destabilizing their regions.
—Garry Kasparov, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2026
Now, the Franciscan missionaries oppressing the Native Americans in the painting had arrows piercing their heads and bodies.
—Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 6 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oppressing
Verb
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In fact, the disease has been torturing humans for at least 5,500 years, according to a study published today in the journal Nature .—
Margherita Bassi,
Popular Science,
17 June 2026
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Meanwhile, Harris welcomed her endorsement by Dick Cheney, who was not a very popular vice president but was a zealous defender of torturing Muslims.—
Ta-Nehisi Coates,
Vanity Fair,
15 June 2026
Verb
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Biden, who has spoken at length about overcoming drug addiction, claims to be at least $15 million in debt.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
19 June 2026
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Many training programs for travel consultants (or really for anybody who works in sales) include tactics on overcoming objections.—
Scott Laird,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Verb
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Problem properties can create economic and fiscal challenges, including depressing neighboring property values, straining fire and police resources and increasing the risk of arson and violent crime.—
Michelle Mullins,
Chicago Tribune,
18 June 2026
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Disruptions from war are not cured by depressing economic activity; they’re cured by dealing with the causes of those disruptions.—
Steve Forbes,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Verb
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Layering a buttery blazer over an all-white ensemble and coordinating it with a matching bag instantly brightens the whole outfit without overwhelming it.—
Amanda Le,
InStyle,
14 June 2026
-
Every dish and pairing is thoughtfully curated to awaken the palate without overwhelming it.—
Katie Riley,
Southern Living,
13 June 2026
Verb
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Simultaneously, electricity prices continue to outpace inflation, burdening families across the country.—
Rachel Mural,
Fortune,
21 June 2026
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Now, in a June 18 letter to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division accused the league of potentially burdening the religious rights of the Giants players.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2026
Verb
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Loss of this support, which is said to cover 25% of the center’s operating costs, would have been devastating both financially and reputationally.—
Paul Sisson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 June 2026
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These giant invasive snakes are devastating the Everglades ecosystem by eating through the native food web without any natural predators to keep them in check.—
Dac Collins,
Outdoor Life,
17 June 2026
Verb
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This question of what happened to fishes immediately after the age of the dinosaurs kept troubling me.—
Sanaa El-Sayed,
The Conversation,
4 June 2026
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So what is troubling the Mariners?—
David Troy OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
27 May 2026
Verb
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The crushing win followed England's own big win at Lord's and sends the series to a decider in Nottingham starting on Thursday.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 June 2026
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Then the two in the final three holes that sealed the crushing near-miss.—
Nick Pietruszkiewicz,
Hartford Courant,
21 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Oppressing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oppressing. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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