oppressed 1 of 2

adjective

ə-ˈprest How to pronounce oppressed (audio)
Definition of oppressednext
as in persecuted
suffering grave abuse or injustice at the hands of one in authority setting out on a quixotic quest to right wrongs and to raise up the oppressed peoples of the world

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oppressed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of oppress
1
as in depressed
to make sad this gloomy weather is oppressing all of us

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in overwhelmed
to subject to incapacitating emotional or mental stress a film about a man who is haunted and oppressed by the secrets of his past

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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 oppressed
Adjective
The body pointed to the fact that Iran’s Farabi cinema body, which oversees the country’s submission, was directly controlled by the hardline Islamic Republic regime government, which in turn has suppressed freedom of speech and brutally oppressed filmmakers across its 47 years in power. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 4 May 2026 Of course, no one denouncing the tyranny of the old should forget how many elderly Americans have counted among the most oppressed, and still do. — Samuel Moyn, Harpers Magazine, 21 Apr. 2026
Verb
To Be Whole,' which teaches that the United States was founded on 'white supremacy' and categorizes individuals as 'oppressors' and 'oppressed' based only on their skin color, not their individual decisions and actions. — Gabriela Vidal, CBS News, 9 June 2026 If the second section presents the diagnosis, then in the footnote to Howl Ginsberg writes a prescription, because if we’re oppressed by a dark faith then the only antidote is a different one. — Literary Hub, 3 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for oppressed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oppressed
  1. depressed
  2. overwhelmed
  3. troubled
  4. devastated
  5. tortured
  6. overcame
  7. burdened
  8. crushed
Verb
  • In addition, the way graduation rates are reported across BIE schools was changed to address flawed data collection that previously depressed the numbers.
    — Savannah Peters, Fortune, 13 July 2026
  • Rising costs of components, supply chain constraints, and weaker consumer demand that are all partly linked to the Iran war have depressed smartphone sales in much of the continent, resulting in the slowest growth of shipments to Africa in two years, research firm Omdia said.
    — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 8 June 2026
Definition of depressed
Verb
  • The deluge stranded thousands at Soga Station and Narita Airport during Japan’s busy Bon holiday week, exposing sewer systems overwhelmed by rapid urbanization and prompting emergency evacuations and shelters across Chiba.
    — Mari Yamaguchi, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Despite this multi-layered surveillance system, Tuesday’s massive influx overwhelmed the filtration hardware, forcing operators to bring the reactors offline once again to safeguard the facilities.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of overwhelmed
Verb
  • Hathaway stars as Kym, the titular bride’s (Rosemarie DeWitt) troubled younger sister.
    — Chris Bellamy, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Flake also said he was troubled by Collins' refusal to acknowledge President Joe Biden's 2020 election victory.
    — Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of troubled
Verb
  • Melissa Fresses, Maribel's sister, said she was devastated by the news.
    — Laura Fay, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Anny Liu of Altadena was introduced to Jackie and Shadow in January 2025 — the month the Palisades and Eaton fires devastated swaths of Los Angeles County.
    — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of devastated
Verb
  • He was brutally tortured before being assigned his painting duties.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Other commissions include a monument to honor Native voices, a sculpture of gospel singer and Civil Rights activist Mahalia Jackson, and a site to recognize the survivors who were tortured by the Chicago Police Department during the 1970s-1990s.
    — Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of tortured
Verb
  • Crowley overcame Francesca Hong in dramatic, narrow fashion in Tuesday's primary, stunning pundits and pollsters who had long placed Hong as the front-runner.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • El-Sayed overcame funding disadvantage The stark contrasts in candidate funding led to differences in advertising strategies and appeals to different groups of voters.
    — Michael Traugott, The Conversation, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of overcame
Verb
  • The Supreme Court ruled parents were entitled to notice and an opportunity to excuse their children from instruction that substantially burdened their religious exercise.
    — Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Months later, the Justice Department released a report alleging the Biden administration used prosecutions, policies, and regulatory actions in ways that burdened religious Americans.
    — Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of burdened
Verb
  • Oxman lost her mother after an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, and this February, Ackman’s eldest daughter, Lucy, was found unresponsive in her apartment after a brain hemorrhage that crushed her optic nerve and destroyed her ability to speak.
    — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Jansen & Oncins crushed Mixed-1, while Christian and Acevedo squeaked out Mixed-2 12-10 to force a DB.
    — Todd Boss, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of crushed

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Cite this Entry

“Oppressed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oppressed. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of oppressed for Spanish Speakers

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