oppressive
adjective/əˈpresɪv/
/əˈpresɪv/
- treating people in a cruel and unfair way and not giving them the same freedom, rights, etc. as other people
- oppressive laws
- an oppressive regime
- The political situation has grown increasingly oppressive.
Extra Examples- She was among those who fought the oppressive apartheid system.
- The novel depicts an oppressive patriarchy in which women are forced to bear children.
- They lived under an oppressive military dictatorship.
- The state can also be tyrannical and oppressive towards workers.
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- (of the weather) extremely hot and unpleasant and not having enough fresh air synonym stifling
- oppressive heat
- making you feel unhappy and anxious synonym stifling
- an oppressive relationship
- The silence between them started to grow oppressive.
Word Originlate 16th cent.: from medieval Latin oppressivus, from oppress- ‘pressed against’, from the verb opprimere.
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oppressive