TOP

Definition of oppress verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

oppress

verb
 
/əˈpres/
 
/əˈpres/
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they oppress
 
/əˈpres/
 
/əˈpres/
he / she / it oppresses
 
/əˈpresɪz/
 
/əˈpresɪz/
past simple oppressed
 
/əˈprest/
 
/əˈprest/
past participle oppressed
 
/əˈprest/
 
/əˈprest/
-ing form oppressing
 
/əˈpresɪŋ/
 
/əˈpresɪŋ/
jump to other results
  1. oppress somebody to treat somebody in a cruel and unfair way, especially by not giving them the same freedom, rights, etc. as other people
    • The regime is accused of oppressing religious minorities.
    • Throughout history, our people have been oppressed and exploited.
    Topics War and conflictc2
  2. oppress somebody to make somebody only able to think about things that make them sad or worried synonym weigh down
    • The gloomy atmosphere in the office oppressed her.
    • He was beginning to feel oppressed by his surroundings.
  3. Word Originlate Middle English: from Old French oppresser, from medieval Latin oppressare, from Latin oppress- ‘pressed against’, from the verb opprimere.
See oppress in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee oppress in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
apron
noun
 
 
From the Topic
Clothes and fashion
B2
Oxford Learner's Dictionaries Word of the Day