as in sadness
a state or spell of low spirits
suffered a lingering oppression in the weeks after his dog died
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Recent Examples of oppression
We are all born free; taking away someone’s autonomy is an act of oppression.
—
Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
The holiday, as well as the premiere of the class-conscious The Devil Wears Prada 2, make tonight as good a night as any to throw on Boots Riley’s 2018 cutting send-up of corporate oppression.
—Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 1 May 2026
Young people of their cohort prioritize Irish language rights and migrant rights, see a historic parallel between the oppression of Irish Catholics and Palestinians, and have a deep yearning to to bear witness to the end of British presence in the North and the reunification of Ireland.
—Dean Van Nguyen, Pitchfork, 30 Apr. 2026
The film examines the generation who never expected to become senior citizens in the face of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and decades of oppression, who now find themselves trailblazers again as the first openly LGBTQ seniors.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for oppression
Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
The holiday, as well as the premiere of the class-conscious The Devil Wears Prada 2, make tonight as good a night as any to throw on Boots Riley’s 2018 cutting send-up of corporate oppression.
—Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 1 May 2026
Young people of their cohort prioritize Irish language rights and migrant rights, see a historic parallel between the oppression of Irish Catholics and Palestinians, and have a deep yearning to to bear witness to the end of British presence in the North and the reunification of Ireland.
—Dean Van Nguyen, Pitchfork, 30 Apr. 2026
The film examines the generation who never expected to become senior citizens in the face of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and decades of oppression, who now find themselves trailblazers again as the first openly LGBTQ seniors.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for oppression
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oppression
Noun
-
The prospect filled me with surprising sadness.—
Hannah Goldfield,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
The bittersweet tale infused with humor and sadness chimed with the Cannes audience.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Data from one primary care clinic in Los Angeles, shared exclusively with NPR, shows a sharp rise in anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts among patients.—
Rhitu Chatterjee,
NPR,
17 May 2026
-
Chronic circadian misalignment is associated with a 30-40% higher risk of cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, depression and anxiety.—
Allison Palmer,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
While the actors are committed, poignant and warm, their upbeat tone doesn’t always blend well with the melancholy of the picture.—
Tomris Laffly,
Variety,
13 May 2026
-
These flashes of melancholy or yearning give the record complexity and depth, as well as stopping it from devolving into wackiness.—
Alastair Shuttleworth,
Pitchfork,
2 May 2026
Noun
-
Yet this book is written more in sorrow than in anger.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 May 2026
-
Late in the picture, a display of kindness from the elderly Catalan woman Lucila looks after introduces an unexpected reciprocity of care — even with those unfamiliar with her sorrows and the intricacies of her cultural background.—
Carlos Aguilar,
IndieWire,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
Annah’s resulting anguish is so uncomfortable for the others, that Ibrahim and Jacques practically come to blows.—
Alissa Simon,
Variety,
16 May 2026
-
Yet masculinism also functions as a perpetual-motion machine of grievance, an inarticulate howl of anguish at the status quo—whatever that currently is.—
Helen Lewis,
The Atlantic,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Oppression.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oppression. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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