Antonyms for oppress
| Grammar : Verb |
| Spell : uh-pres |
| Phonetic Transcription : əˈprɛs |
Definition of oppress
Origin :- mid-14c., from Old French opresser "oppress, afflict; torment, smother" (13c.), from Medieval Latin oppressare, frequentative of Latin opprimere "press against, press together, press down;" figuratively "crush, put down, subdue, prosecute relentlessly" (in Late Latin "to rape"), from ob "against" (see ob-) + premere "to press, push" (see press (v.1)).
- It is the due [external] restraint and not the moderation of rulers that constitutes a state of liberty; as the power to oppress, though never exercised, does a state of slavery. [St. George Tucker, "View of the Constitution of the United States," 1803]
- Related: Oppressed; oppressing.
- verb depress, subdue
- And do they not make use of your own generosity to oppress you?
- Extract from : « Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9) » by Samuel Richardson
- How you oppress me, my dearest friend, with your politeness!
- Extract from : « Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9) » by Samuel Richardson
- But I will not oppress you, my dearest friend, with further reflections of this sort.
- Extract from : « Clarissa, Volume 2 (of 9) » by Samuel Richardson
- White Fang knew the law well: to oppress the weak and obey the strong.
- Extract from : « White Fang » by Jack London
- The code he learned was to obey the strong and to oppress the weak.
- Extract from : « White Fang » by Jack London
- I think that in those days there was a good deal to oppress Peter Blood.
- Extract from : « Captain Blood » by Rafael Sabatini
- And does he, also, oppress you with his professional knowledge?
- Extract from : « The Bondwoman » by Marah Ellis Ryan
- "It is the sacred right of the citizen to oppress the oppressor," chimed Jude.
- Extract from : « The False Chevalier » by William Douw Lighthall
- And a knowledge of her danger—he put it that way—began to oppress him.
- Extract from : « The Tyranny of the Dark » by Hamlin Garland
- The tedium of futile undertakings will oppress us from the first moment.
- Extract from : « Spontaneous Activity in Education » by Maria Montessori
Synonyms for oppress
- abuse
- afflict
- aggrieve
- annoy
- beat down
- burden
- crush
- despotize
- dishearten
- dispirit
- distress
- encumber
- force
- handicap
- harass
- harry
- hound
- keep down
- maltreat
- outrage
- overcome
- overload
- overpower
- overthrow
- overwhelm
- persecute
- pick on
- plague
- press
- prey on
- put down
- put screws to
- put the squeeze on
- put upon
- ride
- rule
- sadden
- saddle
- smother
- strain
- subjugate
- suppress
- tax
- torment
- torture
- trample
- trouble
- tyrranize
- vex
- weigh heavy upon
- worry
- wrong
Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019