oppress
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
to treat a person or group in a cruel and unfair way, especially by taking away their rights.
to keep a person or group in subservience through the unjust exercise of authority or force.
Simple“The people were oppressed by a government that did not allow them to vote.”
In context“For decades, the regime oppressed ethnic minorities by restricting their access to education and prohibiting the use of their native language in public.”
- 02 C1 Advanced
to make you feel worried, sad, or uncomfortable for a long time.
to weigh heavily on the mind, spirits, or senses, causing a feeling of depression or anxiety.
Simple“The grey weather and the silence of the house began to oppress her.”
In context“A profound sense of failure seemed to oppress him, making it difficult to focus on the potential solutions presented by his colleagues.”
Synonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
to physically press down on someone or something with a heavy weight.
to physically overwhelm, crush, or smother by applying pressure.
Simple“The heavy heat of the afternoon seemed to oppress every living thing in the valley.”
In context“In the ancient tale, the giant's massive hand would oppress any warrior who dared to enter the mountain pass.”
“We ended up planning to march to the police station against these passbooks that were being used to oppress us," he says.”
From Middle English oppressen, from Old French oppresser, from Medieval Latin oppressare (“to press against, oppress”), frequentative of Latin opprimere, past participle oppressus (“to press against, press together, oppress”), from ob (“against”) + premere, past participle pressus (“to press”); see press.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.