Oppress

Pronunciation: /əˈprɛs/

Definitions of oppress

verb to keep (someone) in subservience and hardship, especially by the unjust or cruel exercise of authority

Example Sentences

A1 The dictator used his power to oppress the citizens.

A2 The factory owner would oppress his workers by not giving them breaks.

B1 The government's strict policies were seen as oppressive by many people.

B2 The regime oppressed any form of dissent, leading to widespread fear.

C1 Throughout history, many groups have been oppressed based on their race or religion.

C2 The oppressive regime finally fell after years of resistance from the people.

Examples of oppress in a Sentence

formal The dictator used his power to oppress the citizens and suppress their freedoms.

informal The boss tries to oppress us by giving us too much work to do.

slang Don't let anyone oppress you and make you feel small.

figurative The dark clouds seemed to oppress the landscape, casting a shadow over everything.

Grammatical Forms of oppress

• past tense: oppressed
• plural: oppress
• comparative: more oppressive
• superlative: most oppressive
• present tense: oppress
• future tense: will oppress
• perfect tense: have oppressed
• continuous tense: is oppressing
• singular: oppress
• positive degree: oppressive
• infinitive: to oppress
• gerund: oppressing
• participle: oppressing

Origin and Evolution of oppress

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'oppress' originated from the Latin word 'opprimere', which means to press down or to crush.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'oppress' has retained its core meaning of unjustly holding power over others and causing harm, but its usage has expanded to include various forms of domination and control.