# oppressed

/əˈpɹɛst/ (US) · /əpɹˈɛst/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/oppressed
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. treated unfairly

adjective · CEFR B2

treated in a cruel and unfair way, especially by a government or a person with power.

For teachers: subjected to harsh and authoritarian treatment; burdened by the exercise of unjust power or authority.

- The oppressed citizens finally began to protest against the unfair laws.
- The novel explores the psychological toll on an oppressed population living under a regime that forbids free speech and assembly.

Usage: Often used as a collective noun 'the oppressed' to refer to a group of people.

### 2. past action of treating cruelly

verb · CEFR B2

the past tense of 'oppress', meaning to have treated a group of people cruelly.

For teachers: past tense and past participle of the transitive verb 'oppress', indicating the historical or completed act of subjugation.

- The king oppressed his people for many years before the revolution.
- Throughout the nineteenth century, the colonial administration oppressed the local tribes by seizing their ancestral lands and restricting their movement.

Usage: As a verb, it requires a direct object representing the person or group being mistreated.

## Examples

- The workers felt oppressed by the strict rules.
- Many citizens felt oppressed by the government's heavy surveillance and lack of free speech.
- The novel portrays a society where the working class feels oppressed by an unyielding economic system that offers no path to upward mobility.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.