oppressive

[uh-pres-iv]

adjective

1. burdensome, unjustly harsh, or tyrannical.

   an oppressive king;

   oppressive laws.

2. causing discomfort by being excessive, intense, elaborate, etc..

   oppressive heat.

3. distressing or grievous.

   oppressive sorrows.

oppressive

/ əˈprɛsɪv /

adjective

1. cruel, harsh, or tyrannical

2. heavy, constricting, or depressing

Other Word Forms

• oppressively adverb
• oppressiveness noun
• nonoppressive adjective
• nonoppressively adverb
• nonoppressiveness noun
• self-oppressive adjective
• unoppressive adjective
• unoppressively adverb
• unoppressiveness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of oppressive¹

First recorded in 1620–30; from Medieval Latin oppresīvus, equivalent to Latin oppress(us) “pressed down” ( oppress ) + -īvus -ive

Example Sentences

There is an oppressive notion that anyone not in a happy family has failed at life.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

At that point, there’s still another hour to go of extreme close-ups, oppressive sound design and surreal images that would keep David Lynch awake at night.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Her poems ranged from swampy oppressive memories of Florida to the nature of poetry to musings on hypocritical activists.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"It shows you that the world community has failed drastically in deterring Israel from expanding its oppressive policies," says Barghouti.

Read more on BBC

A Hertfordshire Police spokesperson said between July 2019 and February 2024 Cummings had made the three women's lives an "absolute misery with his oppressive behaviour".

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• brutal 
• burdensome 
• cruel 
• depressing 
• dictatorial 
• harsh 
• heavy-handed 
• inhuman 
• onerous 
• overbearing 
• tyrannical 
• unjust