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. 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.
Within a lengthy tribute to the Englishman who died in 1785, the inscription read: “He was the friend of the Oppressed Negro.”
From Seattle Times • Feb. 16, 2024
“We have always known him to be a humble, compassionate man that carried on the Special Forces motto, ‘De Opresso Liber’ — Free the Oppressed.
From Washington Times • May 17, 2023
Oppressed people should be joining together to eradicate racism and disenfranchisement of all people.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 14, 2022
The Basij Resistance Force, formally known as the Organisation for the Mobilisation of the Oppressed, was formed in 1979 as a volunteer paramilitary organisation.
From BBC • Oct. 7, 2022
So, no, there is no United League of the Oppressed.
From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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.
