1
as in torturing
to make sad
this gloomy weather is oppressing all of us
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in overcoming
to subject to incapacitating emotional or mental stress
a film about a man who is haunted and oppressed by the secrets of his past
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of oppressing
Norway was itself a colonizer, and programs oppressing indigenous cultures and languages were in place well into the 1960s.
—
Ola Morris Innset,
The Dial,
2 June 2026
Having been raised not too far from similarly-minded environs, this Turkish critic knows that keeping a pure and noble familial slate in patriarchy often means oppressing women.
—
Tomris Laffly,
Variety,
20 May 2026
Israel has been grievously oppressing people in its area who are not Jewish.
—
Voice Of The People,
New York Daily News,
14 May 2026
Underlying such obvious acts of aggression lies an insidious tendency for transnational repression to flow from despots into democracies, oppressing lawyers of all nationalities in the process.
—
Irwin Cotler,
Time,
8 May 2026
In Russia, Cuba, Iran, Belarus, and Uganda, dictatorships have carried on for decades—oppressing and killing their people, attacking their neighbors, and destabilizing their regions.
—
Garry Kasparov,
The Atlantic,
10 Jan. 2026
Now, the Franciscan missionaries oppressing the Native Americans in the painting had arrows piercing their heads and bodies.
—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
6 Sep. 2025
Ola Morris Innset,
The Dial,
2 June 2026
Having been raised not too far from similarly-minded environs, this Turkish critic knows that keeping a pure and noble familial slate in patriarchy often means oppressing women.
—
Tomris Laffly,
Variety,
20 May 2026
Israel has been grievously oppressing people in its area who are not Jewish.
—
Voice Of The People,
New York Daily News,
14 May 2026
Underlying such obvious acts of aggression lies an insidious tendency for transnational repression to flow from despots into democracies, oppressing lawyers of all nationalities in the process.
—
Irwin Cotler,
Time,
8 May 2026
In Russia, Cuba, Iran, Belarus, and Uganda, dictatorships have carried on for decades—oppressing and killing their people, attacking their neighbors, and destabilizing their regions.
—
Garry Kasparov,
The Atlantic,
10 Jan. 2026
Now, the Franciscan missionaries oppressing the Native Americans in the painting had arrows piercing their heads and bodies.
—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
6 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oppressing
Verb
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Henry Bernard Montgomery, 38, was arraigned Monday afternoon on one count of third-degree killing/torturing animals and given a $20,000 bond with a GPS tether.
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In fact, the disease has been torturing humans for at least 5,500 years, according to a study published today in the journal Nature .
Verb
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Forward-looking firms are overcoming this by deploying advanced technical strategies.
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Normal matter can’t be stuffed into a space tiny and dense enough without overcoming a huge outward pressure.
Verb
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The problem is that too many teachers are failing to motivate students, and the peer effect can go both ways, depressing student achievement in places where ambition isn’t valued.
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Problem properties can create economic and fiscal challenges, including depressing neighboring property values, straining fire and police resources and increasing the risk of arson and violent crime.
Verb
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This geometric rug adds visual interest without overwhelming your existing furniture and decor.
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Use plants with similar sun and soil needs to complement dahlias without overwhelming them.
Verb
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Simultaneously, electricity prices continue to outpace inflation, burdening families across the country.
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Now, in a June 18 letter to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division accused the league of potentially burdening the religious rights of the Giants players.
Verb
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The co-writer thing was a total disaster, devastating on every level.
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One week after devastating earthquakes struck Venezuela, relief efforts in South Florida continue at a steady pace.
Verb
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Campbell said Moore wanted to discuss what was troubling her privately but never got the chance.
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This question of what happened to fishes immediately after the age of the dinosaurs kept troubling me.
Verb
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Many of our schools do a decent job of crushing students’ desire for mental effort.
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And in the end, the Sox scored their most runs in a game since 1970, crushing the Kansas City Royals 22-1 in front of 31,130 at Rate Field.
Cite this Entry
“Oppressing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oppressing. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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