oppressive

adjective

op·​pres·​sive ə-ˈpre-siv 

1

: unreasonably burdensome or severe

oppressive legislation

oppressive taxes

the oppressive power of corporations and Wall Street

—Jim Hightower

2

: tyrannical

an oppressive government

3

: overwhelming or depressing to the spirit or senses

an oppressive climate

the dusty drabness that was oppressive in its uneventfulness

—Geoffrey Moorhouse

oppressively adverb

oppressiveness noun

Synonyms of oppressive

• harsh
• brutal
• tough
• searing
• severe
• cruel
• hard
• rough
• burdensome

Choose the Right Synonym for oppressive

onerous, burdensome, oppressive, exacting mean imposing hardship.

onerous stresses being laborious and heavy especially because distasteful.

the onerous task of cleaning up the mess

burdensome suggests causing mental as well as physical strain.

burdensome responsibilities

oppressive implies extreme harshness or severity in what is imposed.

the oppressive tyranny of a police state

exacting implies rigor or sternness rather than tyranny or injustice in the demands made or in the one demanding.

an exacting employer

Examples of oppressive in a Sentence

The country is ruled by an oppressive regime.

I think these laws are oppressive.

This region suffers from oppressive heat in the summer months.

The situation was extremely tense; no one said a word, and the silence was oppressive.

Recent Examples on the Web

However, carriers also say that for international travel, customers are booking more often in the fall and other traditionally off-peak periods, to avoid crowds, high prices and oppressive heat. — Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 2 Aug. 2026

The suggestion of moving the grand tour calendar away from the summer months was even raised in order to avoid the oppressive temperatures. — Jessica Hopkins, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026

All seems right in the world, even if the weather is oppressive. — Alora Bopray, USA Today, 31 July 2026

Part of the problem for the West is that Russia, at least from the outside, is a cohesive unit—oppressive and economically dysfunctional, but largely united under the figurehead of Putin. — Literary Hub, 30 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Medieval Latin; Middle French oppressif, borrowed from Medieval Latin oppressīvus, from Latin oppressus, past participle of opprimere "to press on, stifle, overpower" + -īvus -ive — more at oppress

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for oppressive

• aggressive
• compressive
• concessive
• depressive
• excessive
• expressive
• impressive
• obsessive
• possessive
• progressive
• recessive
• regressive

Kids Definition

oppressive

adjective

op·​pres·​sive ə-ˈpres-iv 

1

: cruel or harsh without just cause

oppressive taxes

2

: causing a feeling of oppression

oppressive heat

oppressively adverb

oppressiveness noun