to govern or rule cruelly or unjustly; to weigh heavily upon; to burden excessively, to lie heavily upon (the mind, a person, etc.); to weigh down; to depress

oppress the heart, oppress with a sense of guilt, oppress like a nightmare

oppress the button, oppress the poor, oppress the spirit

Formal and Informal Expressions of oppress

In different contexts, you can replace 'oppress' with suitable alternatives. In a more formal setting, 'persecute, tyrannize' is apt. In informal speech or writing, 'push around, boss around' is a commonplace synonym.

oppress: Explore its Definition & Usage

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

Synonyms for oppress

dominate
subjugate
repress
persecute
tyrannize

Antonyms for oppress

Idioms Using oppress

oppress the heart
to cause someone to feel sad or heavy-hearted
Example
The news of the tragedy oppressed his heart and he couldn't stop thinking about it.
oppress with a sense of guilt
to make someone feel guilty or responsible for something
Example
She tried to oppress him with a sense of guilt, but he knew he wasn't at fault.
oppress like a nightmare
to be a constant source of worry or anxiety
Example
The debt was oppressing him like a nightmare, and he couldn't sleep at night.

Phrases with oppress

oppress the button
to push a button with force
Example
He oppressed the button to turn off the alarm.
oppress the poor
to treat the poor unfairly or cruelly
Example
The government's policies oppress the poor and make their lives harder.
oppress the spirit
to cause someone to feel sad, hopeless, or discouraged
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'

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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.