as in tyrant
a person who uses power or authority in a cruel, unjust, or harmful way
the dictatorship had scarcely been overthrown when the formerly oppressed suddenly abandoned their democratic ideals and became the oppressors
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Recent Examples of oppressor
Colonialism affects every aspect of life, from language to religion, from dress to traditions, and those legacies don’t necessarily disappear after an oppressor is ousted.
—
Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
But freedom of expression is a constant pursuit, as natural as breathing, and silencing it is an imperfect practice that exhausts the oppressor and energizes the oppressed.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 28 Jan. 2026
Repressive policies will eventually create uprising against the oppressors.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 16 Jan. 2026
The film focuses on their heated debate, as some wish to fight their oppressors while others argue for a calculated escape.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Dec. 2025
This clause had been included to mitigate white citizens’ fears that if armed, Blacks would turn the weapons on their oppressors.
—Big Think, 13 Nov. 2025
Natalie Portman stars as Evey, a young working-class woman rescued from the secret police by a masked freedom fighter known only as V (Hugo Weaving), who is leading a plot to take down the oppressors in dramatic fashion.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2025
Despite Republican efforts to identify their party with Israel and to tag Democrats as providing aid and comfort to its enemies, younger evangelical Christians are breaking with their parents on the issue, seeing Israel as an oppressor rather than as a victim.
—David M. Halbfinger, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
There were only the oppressors and the oppressed.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2025
Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
But freedom of expression is a constant pursuit, as natural as breathing, and silencing it is an imperfect practice that exhausts the oppressor and energizes the oppressed.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 28 Jan. 2026
Repressive policies will eventually create uprising against the oppressors.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 16 Jan. 2026
The film focuses on their heated debate, as some wish to fight their oppressors while others argue for a calculated escape.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Dec. 2025
This clause had been included to mitigate white citizens’ fears that if armed, Blacks would turn the weapons on their oppressors.
—Big Think, 13 Nov. 2025
Natalie Portman stars as Evey, a young working-class woman rescued from the secret police by a masked freedom fighter known only as V (Hugo Weaving), who is leading a plot to take down the oppressors in dramatic fashion.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2025
Despite Republican efforts to identify their party with Israel and to tag Democrats as providing aid and comfort to its enemies, younger evangelical Christians are breaking with their parents on the issue, seeing Israel as an oppressor rather than as a victim.
—David M. Halbfinger, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
There were only the oppressors and the oppressed.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oppressor
Noun
-
Feingold saw gaps in the legislation that a would-be tyrant could easily exploit.—
Ta-Nehisi Coates,
Vanity Fair,
26 Jan. 2026
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The selfish tyrant attaches himself only to those others who share his selfishness, who are eager to wear the mask of perpetual lying.—
David Brooks,
Mercury News,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
That’s what dictators want to do.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
31 Jan. 2026
-
The dictator had set his mind on claiming all the sunken treasure off his country’s coast and would brook no competition.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Oppressor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oppressor. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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