oppressed

[ uh-prest ]

/ əˈprɛst /

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See synonyms for oppressed on Thesaurus.com

adjective

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 (used with a plural verb)

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

verb

the simple past tense and past participle of oppress.

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of oppressed

First recorded in 1350–1400; oppress + -ed²

OTHER WORDS FROM oppressed

un·op·pressed, adjective

Words nearby oppressed

oppositional, oppositional defiant disorder, oppositionist, opposition research, oppress, oppressed, oppression, oppressive, oppressor, opprobrious, opprobrium

How to use oppressed in a sentence

It could also, of course, be a question asked of any dominant culture by any oppressed, silenced or subjugated culture.
In San Francisco, arresting sculptures disrupt life at the intersection of Afrofuturism and hippie vibes|Sebastian Smee|July 8, 2021|Washington Post
It is no coincidence therefore that the burden of stigma fell above all on the marginalized and the oppressed.
How colonialism and capitalism helped place a stigma on mental illness|Balaji Ravichandran|February 12, 2021|Washington Post
“There are so many oppressed communities, so many things going on that are just bigger than a ball going in the rim,” he asserted.
Kyrie Irving returns to Nets after seven-game absence, says he ‘just needed a pause’|Des Bieler|January 20, 2021|Washington Post
He was using Twitter to politically oppress people, if you think about the context of use and the months of him claiming the election had been stolen from him.
‘Disinformation can be a very lucrative business, especially if you’re good at it,’ media scholar says|Joe Heim|January 19, 2021|Washington Post

In some cases, oppressed journalists find themselves at heightened risk of falling fatally ill.
These 10 journalists face additional threats from COVID-19|lbelanger225|December 2, 2020|Fortune
She has championed women in countries where they are oppressed through Vital Voices.
Women in the World Texas Sneak Peek|Cynthia Allum|October 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
So much of the fear the media tries to stoke in me is fear of the oppressed underdog lashing out.
Of Gamers, Gates, and Disco Demolition: The Roots of Reactionary Rage|Arthur Chu|October 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And if you look at history, women are an oppressed category of people.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt on ‘Sin City’ and Why He Considers Himself a Male Feminist|Marlow Stern|August 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It is an astounding thing to behold —everyday Christians putting their lives on the line for an oppressed people.
Out and Proud in El Salvador’s Murderous Gangland|Gene Robinson|July 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
On the left, they are hemmed in by the pact of solidarity among self-identified oppressed groups.
Rand Paul’s Comments on GOP Voter-ID Laws Mark a Turning Point|James Poulos|May 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Learn to do well: seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge for the fatherless, defend the widow.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various
They all seemed as if oppressed by some disappointment, but their looks changed instantly on the entrance of the visitor.
The Garret and the Garden|R.M. Ballantyne
A commonwealth, oppressed and pillaged by such men as Opimius and Verres, was free, because it had no king.
The History of England from the Accession of James II.|Thomas Babington Macaulay
Oppressed and degraded humanity was about to take vengeance for its ages of accumulated wrongs.
Madame Roland, Makers of History|John S. C. Abbott
To remove a tyrant is an act of liberation, the giving of life and opportunity to an oppressed people.
Prison Memoirs of an Anarchist|Alexander Berkman