as in harsh
difficult to endure
an oppressive regime that rules through terror
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Recent Examples of oppressive
Enoch confronts the celestial hosts, all wearing capes of swastika red under an oppressive horizon of jutting lightning and glaring orange mountains.
—
Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
The film adapts Xianzhe Xu’s comic series and unfolds during China’s Sui Dynasty under Emperor Yang Guang’s oppressive reign.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 27 Jan. 2026
But whether the darkness is oppressive or peaceful, and whether the cold is biting or refreshing, depends, in part, on our mindset.
—Kari Leibowitz, CNBC, 27 Jan. 2026
Joel, played by Pedro Pascal, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for oppressive
Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
The film adapts Xianzhe Xu’s comic series and unfolds during China’s Sui Dynasty under Emperor Yang Guang’s oppressive reign.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 27 Jan. 2026
But whether the darkness is oppressive or peaceful, and whether the cold is biting or refreshing, depends, in part, on our mindset.
—Kari Leibowitz, CNBC, 27 Jan. 2026
Joel, played by Pedro Pascal, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for oppressive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oppressive
Adjective
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The energy output is designed to remain stable down to –50 degrees Celsius, supporting reliable operation in some of the harshest climates on Earth, reports InsideEVs.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Feb. 2026
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Rapinchuk recommends only using non-toxic products when cleaning your refrigerator and avoiding anything with harsh chemicals, such as bleach and ammonia.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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On one of the coldest days of the year, a brutal winter storm left a cat on the brink of disaster — until a hero stepped in.—
Kendall Malinchock,
USA Today,
6 Feb. 2026
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Iranian authorities responded by launching a brutal crackdown on protests, according to observers.—
Kevin Shalvey,
ABC News,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Most importantly, Alvarado relishes in his role as a tough-nosed, point-of-attack defender, an area the Knicks have had trouble despite building a roster with notable defenders across all positions.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
5 Feb. 2026
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With a durable and tough rubber sole featuring Vibram's TC5+ technology, each step offers the right amount of flex and resistance for a comfortable hiking experience.—
Michael Cappetta,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The film, a searing exploration of the country’s flawed prison system, also stars Rivals frontman Alex Hassell and British R&B artist Ray BLK.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Jan. 2026
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Nowhere perhaps was the searing heat more evident than at Melbourne Park, where the usual crowds thronging outside the Australian Open tennis tournament dwindled to a ghost town as temperatures soared.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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When his condition escalated to severe pneumonia and sepsis, his heart stopped and the team performed CPR, according to a press release on the case.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
5 Feb. 2026
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And while there are signs the selling has become overdone, the ructions in the industry caused by artificial intelligence applications are severe enough that pricing a bottom has become a fraught exercise.—
Bernard Goyder,
Fortune,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Decades later, in a cruel twist of fate, the Guthrie family is no longer pantomiming a kidnapping.—
Chelsea Bailey,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
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Rojas was never treated by a physician while at El Helicoide, where human rights groups have denounced cases of cruel, inhuman treatment and torture.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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But looming is the question of whether the federal immigration officers who pulled the triggers in both cases actually broke the law, a question that will come down to complicated issues that are much harder to define than the outrage that prompted calls for accountability.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
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Today, Honda as an example will recommend (and most do) to drive gently for the first 600 miles (avoiding hard acceleration) and to vary engine speed.—
John Paul,
The Providence Journal,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Known as StellFoundry, the new project focuses on replacing lengthy calculations in the design process with types of digital models, or surrogates, that provide rough calculation estimates.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Feb. 2026
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The family, from the state capital Perth, were using kayaks and paddleboards on Friday morning when rough ocean and wind conditions started dragging them out.—
Rod McGuirk,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Oppressive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oppressive. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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