oppress

B1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /əˈpɹɛs/ See IPA manual

Freq #32552

Meanings

1

verb
To treat a group of people in a cruel and unfair way, keeping them down by force or authority.

The rural poor were oppressed by the land-owners.
2

verb
To make someone feel very sad, worried, or weighed down.

We were oppressed by the constant grey skies.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to treat a group of people... suppress crush

2 verb · to make someone feel very... depress deject

Word family

Forms oppressedoppressesoppressingoppressor

Derived forms oppresseeoppressorreoppress

Related forms oppression oppressive

Etymology

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.

oppressen Middle English oppresser Old French oppressare la-med opprimere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# oppress

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /əˈpɹɛs/
**Frequency rank:** 32552

## Meanings
1. To treat a group of people in a cruel and unfair way, keeping them down by force or authority.
2. To make someone feel very sad, worried, or weighed down.

## Examples
- The rural poor were oppressed by the land-owners.
- We were oppressed by the constant grey skies.

## Derived Forms
- oppressee
- oppressor
- reoppress

## Related Forms
- oppression
- oppressive

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: oppressen
- Root: oppresser
- Root: oppressare
- Root: opprimere

## Etymology
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.

## AI Etymology
Oppress comes 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. Modern senses include to treat a group of people in a cruel and unfair way, keeping them down by force or authority and to make someone feel very sad, worried, or weighed down. The wider word family includes derivatives such as oppressee, oppressor, and reoppress and related forms such as oppression and oppressive.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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