oppression

[ uh-presh-uhn ]
/ əˈprɛʃ ən /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR oppression ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the exercise of authority or power in a burdensome, cruel, or unjust manner.
an act or instance of oppressing or subjecting to cruel or unjust impositions or restraints.
the state of being oppressed.
the feeling of being heavily burdened, mentally or physically, by troubles, adverse conditions, anxiety, etc.

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Origin of oppression

1300–50; Middle English oppressioun < Middle French < Latin oppressiōn- (stem of oppressiō) a pressing down, equivalent to oppress(us) (see oppress) + -iōn- -ion

OTHER WORDS FROM oppression

non·op·pres·sion, nounpre·op·pres·sion, nounself-op·pres·sion, noun

Words nearby oppression

opposite sex, opposition, oppositional disorder, oppositionist, oppress, oppression, oppressive, opprobrious, opprobrium, oppugn, oppugnant
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to oppression

brutality, dictatorship, maltreatment, cruelty, despotism, domination, abuse, suffering, injustice, persecution, coercion, control, compulsion, force, severity, autocracy, fascism, harshness, calamity, torment

Example sentences from the Web for oppression

British Dictionary definitions for oppression

oppression
/ (əˈprɛʃən) /

noun

the act of subjugating by cruelty, force, etc or the state of being subjugated in this way
the condition of being afflicted or tormented
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