oppressed

American  

[uh-prest] / əˈprɛst /

adjective

1. burdened with cruel or unjust impositions or restraints; subjected to a burdensome or harsh exercise of authority or power.

   He's spent over three years documenting the lives of poor, exploited, and oppressed peoples in Latin America.

2. weighed down by thoughts or feelings that lie heavily on the mind or spirit.

   The fix for a hurt heart, broken spirit, or oppressed mind is not always easy, but there is a path to recovery.

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noun

(used with a plural verb)

1. Usually the oppressed oppressed people collectively.

   We cannot proclaim individual liberty and at the same time show no solidarity with the oppressed.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of oppress.

Other Word Forms

• unoppressed adjective

Etymology

Origin of oppressed

First recorded in 1350–1400; oppress ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

“And these are the times when we need it really badly, because somehow, we’re being oppressed all the time.”

From Los Angeles Times

Although she had already received a good deal of acclaim, O’Keeffe had begun to feel oppressed by her life in New York with her husband, the pioneering photographer and art dealer Alfred Stieglitz.

From The Wall Street Journal

The march was an "international demonstration... in support of Palestinians and all the oppressed around the world", the group added after the ban was announced.

From Barron's

The Islamic Human Rights Commission describes Al Quds Day as an "international demonstration... in support of Palestinians and all the oppressed around the world".

From BBC

According to 1996 reporting by The Times, “Siembra” delivered pulsating salsa rhythms that “carried messages of freedom at a time when most of Latin America was oppressed by military dictatorships.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• abused
• destitute
• distressed
• enslaved
• exploited
• helpless
• persecuted