oppressed
Americanadjective
-
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.
-
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.
noun
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of oppressed
First recorded in 1350–1400; oppress ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. )
Explanation
To be oppressed is to be exploited or systematically harmed by others. People who have no freedom are oppressed, and are sometimes referred to collectively as "the oppressed." Being oppressed is a negative and unfair condition. The United States was founded because we felt oppressed by the rule of England. African-Americans, Native Americans, women, gays, and other minority groups have all been oppressed by prejudice and unfair laws. So people who are oppressed tend to be angry — and for good reason. Oppressed people tend to fight for their freedom, and they often get it.
Vocabulary lists containing oppressed
Beowulf vocabulary
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Macbeth's "Is this a dagger..." soliloquy
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"The Tragedy of Macbeth," Vocabulary from Act 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Talarico, believing God is on the side of the oppressed and the marginalized, focuses his message to voters on equity and protecting personal freedom.
From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026
Iran head coach Amir Ghalenoei says they are the "most oppressed" team at the World Cup after having last-minute travel restrictions imposed on them.
From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2026
“And these are the times when we need it really badly, because somehow, we’re being oppressed all the time.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 23, 2026
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 ● Mar. 20, 2026
The small children, on this day, in this place, and oppressed by their elders, tried hard to play without seeming to be disrespectful of God’s house.
From "Go Tell It on the Mountain" by James Baldwin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
