oppress Definition
- 1to govern or rule cruelly or unjustly; to weigh heavily upon; to burden excessively
- 2to lie heavily upon (the mind, a person, etc.); to weigh down; to depress
Using oppress: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "oppress" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The dictator oppressed the people for years.
Example
Women were oppressed for centuries and denied basic rights.
Example
The heavy workload oppressed him and made him feel exhausted.
Example
The sadness of the loss oppressed her and she couldn't stop crying.
oppress Synonyms and Antonyms
Antonyms for oppress
Idioms Using oppress
Example
The news of the tragedy oppressed his heart and he couldn't stop thinking about it.
Example
She tried to oppress him with a sense of guilt, but he knew he wasn't at fault.
Example
The debt was oppressing him like a nightmare, and he couldn't sleep at night.
Phrases with oppress
Example
He oppressed the button to turn off the alarm.
Example
The government's policies oppress the poor and make their lives harder.
Example
The constant criticism from his boss oppressed his spirit and made him lose confidence.
Origins of oppress
from Old French 'opresser', from Latin 'opprimere', meaning 'to press against'
Summary: oppress in Brief
The verb 'oppress' [uh-pres] means to rule or govern cruelly or unjustly, or to weigh heavily upon someone or something. It can refer to political oppression, as in 'The dictator oppressed the people for years,' or emotional oppression, as in 'The sadness of the loss oppressed her and she couldn't stop crying.' The phrase 'oppress the button' means to push a button with force, while the idiom 'oppress the heart' means to cause someone to feel sad or heavy-hearted.