oppress

Meaning

1. (transitive) To keep down by unjust force.
2. (transitive) To make sad or gloomy.
3. (obsolete, transitive) Physically to press down on (someone) with harmful effects; to smother, crush.
4. (obsolete, transitive) To sexually violate; to rape.

Synonyms

persecute

press

suppress

keep down

repress

tyrannize

torment

squeeze

harass

ill-treat

depress

maltreat

domineer

crush

afflict

ill-use

bully

worry

trample

coerce

despise

subjugate

pinch

overpower

stifle

overrun

confine

treat badly

treat cruelly

overwhelm

weigh down

distress

trouble

wrong

disturb

injure

tighten

squelch

hold down

subdue

demoralize

pressure

force

press down

plague

squash

trample down

condense

browbeat

pester

Translations

unterdrücken

opprimere

opprimer

oprimir

onderdrukken

oprimir

premere

drukken

persen

oppresser

knellen

dringen

poursuivre

premere

oprimir

Pronounced as (IPA)

/əˈpɹɛs/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: oppressen

In summary

From Middle English oppressen, from Old French oppresser, from Medieval Latin oppressare (“to press against, oppress”), frequentative of Latin opprimere, past participle oppressus (“to press against, press together, oppress”), from ob (“against”) + premere, past participle pressus (“to press”); see press.