oppressive

[ uh-pres-iv ]
/ əˈprɛs ɪv /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR oppressive 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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Origin of oppressive

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

OTHER WORDS FROM oppressive

Words nearby oppressive

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

Words related to oppressiveness

moisture, evaporation, humidity, dampness, heaviness, thickness, dew, wet, sultriness, steam, clamminess, wetness, dankness, vaporization, stickiness, swelter

Example sentences from the Web for oppressiveness

British Dictionary definitions for oppressiveness

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