as in tyrant
a person who uses power or authority in a cruel, unjust, or harmful way
the dictatorship had scarcely been overthrown when the formerly oppressed suddenly abandoned their democratic ideals and became the oppressors
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Recent Examples of oppressor
Cuba needs to be rid of its oppressors once and for all, as quickly as possible.
—
Carlos Eire, Time, 23 Apr. 2026
Civil War, or an oppressor who wants to kill you.
—Mariam Khan, ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
In the piece, the Vicar of Christ is felled not by his oppressors but rather by a random cosmic event.
—Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 16 Apr. 2026
During the confrontation, Hussein and his followers were massacred, but the imam’s quest for justice became a defining value of Shiite identity, fostering a sense of revolutionary duty to fight oppressors at any cost.
—Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2026
For Iran, what counts is resistance, against arrogant and wicked oppressors, chiefly the United States and Israel.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 3 Apr. 2026
That would overlook how quickly Israel’s allies can turn into tomorrow’s religious oppressors.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2026
Israel’s message behind the assassination campaign is clear — the Islamic regime is beyond salvaging, and Iranians need to take to the streets to help oust their oppressors themselves.
—Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 19 Mar. 2026
Because Jews are often seen as white, wealthy and well connected, they can get placed on the oppressor side of that line.
—Arie Perliger, The Conversation, 18 Mar. 2026
Carlos Eire, Time, 23 Apr. 2026
Civil War, or an oppressor who wants to kill you.
—Mariam Khan, ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
In the piece, the Vicar of Christ is felled not by his oppressors but rather by a random cosmic event.
—Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 16 Apr. 2026
During the confrontation, Hussein and his followers were massacred, but the imam’s quest for justice became a defining value of Shiite identity, fostering a sense of revolutionary duty to fight oppressors at any cost.
—Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2026
For Iran, what counts is resistance, against arrogant and wicked oppressors, chiefly the United States and Israel.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 3 Apr. 2026
That would overlook how quickly Israel’s allies can turn into tomorrow’s religious oppressors.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2026
Israel’s message behind the assassination campaign is clear — the Islamic regime is beyond salvaging, and Iranians need to take to the streets to help oust their oppressors themselves.
—Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 19 Mar. 2026
Because Jews are often seen as white, wealthy and well connected, they can get placed on the oppressor side of that line.
—Arie Perliger, The Conversation, 18 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oppressor
Noun
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And while Cathy has always been a famous beauty, Pugh is looking almost unreasonably chic as the arguable tyrant/Satan analog.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
14 May 2026
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To add to the second-hand embarrassment, a gaudy amusement park proves a vital part of Homelander’s plan—after all, fascists and tyrants tend to have bad taste.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2026
Noun
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Bolstered by his military campaign in Morocco, Franco went on to lead Nationalist forces to victory in the Spanish Civil War, followed by a near 40-year rule as dictator.—
Ed Meza,
Variety,
16 May 2026
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The first Eurovision boycott was in 1969 — ironically, by Austria, which refused to send a delegation to Spain under dictator Francisco Franco.—
Jill Lawless,
Chicago Tribune,
16 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Oppressor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oppressor. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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