OPPRESS

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does oppress mean? 

• OPPRESS (verb)
  The verb OPPRESS has 2 senses:

1. come down on or keep down by unjust use of one's authority

2. cause to suffer

  Familiarity information: OPPRESS used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• OPPRESS (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they oppress    ... he / she / it oppresses   
Past simple: oppressed   
Past participle: oppressed   
-ing form: oppressing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Come down on or keep down by unjust use of one's authority

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

crush; oppress; suppress

Context example:

The government oppresses political activists

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "oppress"):

keep down; quash; reduce; repress; subdue; subjugate (put down by force or intimidation)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Derivation:

oppression (the act of subjugating by cruelty)

oppressive (marked by unjust severity or arbitrary behavior)

oppressor (a person of authority who subjects others to undue pressures)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Cause to suffer

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

oppress; persecute

Context example:

Some religious groups are persecuted in some countries

Hypernyms (to "oppress" is one way to...):

bedevil; crucify; dun; frustrate; rag; torment (treat cruelly)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "oppress"):

purge (oust politically)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

oppressive (marked by unjust severity or arbitrary behavior)

oppressor (a person of authority who subjects others to undue pressures)

 Context examples 

He oppressed the weak with a vengeance.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

To be the friend of the poor and the oppressed!

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

He was oppressed by the utter squalidness of it all.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Beyond wondering at what could have been Dennin's motive, they remained silent, oppressed by the horror of the tragedy.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

He laid his head upon her shoulder, as if he were oppressed with heavy shame, and went out with her.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

I don't like favors, they oppress and make me feel like a slave.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

She could not immediately have uttered another sentence; her heart was too full, her breath too much oppressed.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

Oppressed by the recollection of my various misfortunes, I now swallowed double my usual quantity and soon slept profoundly.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

Elizabeth lifted up her eyes in amazement, but was too much oppressed to make any reply.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

His tender compassion towards oppressed worth can go no farther.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)