oppression

[ uh-presh-uhn ]
See synonyms for oppression on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. the exercise of authority or power in a burdensome, cruel, or unjust manner.

  2. an act or instance of oppressing or subjecting to cruel or unjust impositions or restraints.

  1. the state of being oppressed.

  2. the feeling of being heavily burdened, mentally or physically, by troubles, adverse conditions, anxiety, etc.

Origin of oppression

1
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English oppressioun, from Middle French, from Latin oppressiōn-, stem of oppressiō “a pressing down,” equivalent to oppress(us) “pressed down” + -iō noun suffix; see oppress, -ion

Other words for oppression

Opposites for oppression

Other words from oppression

  • non·op·pres·sion, noun
  • pre·op·pres·sion, noun
  • self-op·pres·sion, noun

Words Nearby oppression

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use oppression in a sentence

  • He was able to make peace with the Chinese emperor, and under his rule the Koreans enjoyed freedom from war and oppression.

    Our Little Korean Cousin | H. Lee M. Pike
  • At the time of his birth, the rulers of the country were very unpopular because of their wickedness and oppression of the people.

    Our Little Korean Cousin | H. Lee M. Pike
  • It is a thing invented by the great to enable them to pursue the grinding and oppression of the small.

    St. Martin's Summer | Rafael Sabatini
  • And the fact must be insisted upon, that all religion, in its very nature, makes for persecution and oppression.

    God and my Neighbour | Robert Blatchford
  • Blood-shed, oppression, extortion, and all the instinctive habits of the shrewd savage were again rife.

    The Philippine Islands | John Foreman

British Dictionary definitions for oppression

oppression

/ (əˈprɛʃən) /


noun
  1. the act of subjugating by cruelty, force, etc or the state of being subjugated in this way

  2. the condition of being afflicted or tormented

  1. the condition of having something lying heavily on one's mind, imagination, etc

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012