oppressive

[ uh-pres-iv ]

/ əˈprɛs ɪv /

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See synonyms for: oppressive / oppressively / oppressiveness on Thesaurus.com

adjective

burdensome, unjustly harsh, or tyrannical: an oppressive king; oppressive laws.

causing discomfort by being excessive, intense, elaborate, etc.: oppressive heat.

distressing or grievous: oppressive sorrows.

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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 oppressive

1620–30; <Medieval Latin oppresīvus, equivalent to oppress(us) (see oppress) + -īvus-ive

OTHER WORDS FROM oppressive

op·pres·sive·ly, adverbop·pres·sive·ness, nounnon·op·pres·sive, adjectivenon·op·pres·sive·ly, adverb

non·op·pres·sive·ness, nounself-op·pres·sive, adjectiveun·op·pres·sive, adjectiveun·op·pres·sive·ly, adverbun·op·pres·sive·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use oppressive in a sentence

Zwicky had worked to defend Huawei against allegations that the company fueled oppressive surveillance measures.
Huawei official speaks out on why he resigned after The Post reported the tech giant had worked on a ‘Uighur alarm’|Drew Harwell|February 1, 2021|Washington Post
They become easy prey to oppressive and exploitative state security apparatus.
How Young, Queer Nigerians Use Twitter To Shape Identity And Fight Homophobia|LGBTQ-Editor|October 14, 2020|No Straight News
Aung San Suu Kyi’s 1991 prize looked much better than those two in the moment, as Myanmar’s foremost political prisoner fought an oppressive regime.
A Nobel Pursuit Gone Wrong?|Tracy Moran|October 11, 2020|Ozy
NYC summer running can be oppressive in normal times, but in 2020, our year of the plague, there’s the additional running-with-a-mask factor.
The Sublime Agony of Hot-Weather Running|Martin Fritz Huber|August 27, 2020|Outside Online

Because the cult of the six-pack reigns oppressively supreme.
Prince Fielder’s Demi Moore Moment: World Loses It Over Athlete Without Six-Pack|Tim Teeman|July 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They can be a source of pure delight for women who lead oppressively serious lives.
The Language of Margaret Thatcher’s Handbags|Robin Givhan|April 8, 2013|DAILY BEAST
He looked very hot, his wavy hair lay damply on his brow, and he appeared excited, oppressively alive.
Studies in love and in terror|Marie Belloc Lowndes
They left them to this endless task, and went on, Daniel talking in his oppressively loud voice of the number of the deaths.
The Red City|S. Weir Mitchell
The weather was oppressively warm again on this day, and business in Ecorse was apparently not "booming."
Ocean to Ocean on Horseback|Willard Glazier
The weather with us has never been oppressively hot; and storms or quiet rains have been frequent.
George Eliot's Life, Vol. III (of 3)|George Eliot
Evidently the residents found the climate too oppressively hot for church that Sunday morning.
South African Memories|Lady Sarah Wilson

British Dictionary definitions for oppressive

oppressive

/ (əˈprɛsɪv) /

adjective

cruel, harsh, or tyrannical

heavy, constricting, or depressing

Derived forms of oppressive

oppressively, adverboppressiveness, noun

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

oppressive

Origin of oppressive

OTHER WORDS FROM oppressive

Words related to oppressive

How to use oppressive in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for oppressive

Derived forms of oppressive