oppressive
Americanadjective
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burdensome, unjustly harsh, or tyrannical.
an oppressive king;
oppressive laws.
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causing discomfort by being excessive, intense, elaborate, etc..
oppressive heat.
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distressing or grievous.
oppressive sorrows.
adjective
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cruel, harsh, or tyrannical
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heavy, constricting, or depressing
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of oppressive
First recorded in 1620–30; from Medieval Latin oppresīvus, equivalent to Latin oppress(us) “pressed down” ( see oppress) + -īvus -ive
Explanation
Think of something crushing you, and you will understand what oppressive is. It can be something that crushes your spirit, like a bad relationship, or something that crushes you with its tyranny, like the oppressive rule of a dictator. Oppressive comes in many flavors; laws can be oppressive, governments can be oppressive, even relationships can be oppressive. The adjective oppressive is heavy stuff; it can feel like you can't breathe, like something is choking you: "His oppressive behavior made me feel like I was being smothered." If something is just too intense, and not in a good way, that also can feel oppressive.
Vocabulary lists containing oppressive
The Sweltering Words of Summer
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"The Monkey's Paw" by W. W. Jacobs
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Tuck Everlasting
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Afghani activist Roya Mahboob stressed that women who live under oppressive regimes like the Taliban can secure financial independence only with tools, like Bitcoin, that circumvent the law.
From Slate ● Sep. 20, 2026
The oppressive moisture in Southern California’s air this week has felt more like Florida and the Gulf Coast, with many remarking that this is the worst, most powerful humidity they’ve ever felt.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
Patterson's solicitor additionally accused the prosecution of an "unfair and oppressive" cross-examination during the trial.
From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026
These scenes take place in Bohemia, which represents the moral and spiritual opposite of Sicilia; it’s a place where joyful anarchy and freedom replace the oppressive and destructive rigidities of the corrupted Sicilia.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
But it was a pretty sad story, about one family’s struggle against the oppressive Japanese regime.
From "Finding Junie Kim" by Ellen Oh
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
