oppression
- 01 C1 Advanced
the cruel and unfair treatment of a group of people by a government or person in power.
the systematic, cruel, or unjust exercise of authority or power over a subordinate group.
Simple“The people fought for decades to end the oppression of the military government.”
In context“The historian argued that systemic oppression was maintained through a combination of economic disenfranchisement and restricted access to education.”
UsageOften used as an uncountable noun when discussing the concept, but countable when referring to specific instances.
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 C2 Proficiency
a strong feeling of being worried, sad, or uncomfortable, as if a weight is on you.
a psychological or physical sense of heaviness, distress, or obstruction.
Simple“A strange sense of oppression came over him as he entered the dark, silent house.”
In context“She felt a profound oppression of spirit as the grey winter months dragged on without a hint of sunshine.”
UsageFrequently used with the preposition 'of' followed by a noun like 'spirit' or 'heart'.
Synonyms
“By the 20th century, Western democracies defeated the brutalities of material scarcity and political oppression.”
“But I believe that by stamping out this growth of oppression by the [Germans], I have been of the greatest help to all.”
From Middle English oppression, from Old French oppression, from Latin oppressiō (“a pressing down, violence, oppression”), from opprimō; see oppress.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.