oppress

UK: /əˈprɛs/ US: /əˈprɛs/ ,(ə pres′)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

op•press /əˈprɛs/   v. [~ + object]

1. to use harsh authority or power over (others):
   The dictator oppressed his countrymen.
2. to lie heavily upon (the mind, a person, etc.);
   weigh down:
   She's oppressed with worry.

op•pres•sion, n. [uncountable]
op•pres•sor, n. [countable] See -press-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

op•press  (ə pres′), v.t. 

1. to burden with cruel or unjust impositions or restraints;
   subject to a burdensome or harsh exercise of authority or power:
   a people oppressed by totalitarianism.
2. to lie heavily upon (the mind, a person, etc.):
   Care and sorrow oppressed them.
3. to weigh down, as sleep or weariness does.
4. [Archaic.] to put down;
   subdue or suppress.
5. [Archaic.] to press upon or against;
   crush.

• Medieval Latin oppressāre, derivative of Latin oppressus past participle of opprimere to squeeze, suffocate, equivalent. to op- op- + -primere (combining form of premere) to press¹
• Middle French oppresser
• Middle English oppressen 1300–50

op•press′i•ble, adj. 
op•pres′sor, n. 
Synonyms

• 1, 2. Oppress, depress, both having the literal meaning to press down upon, to cause to sink, are today mainly limited to figurative applications. To oppress is usually to subject (a people) to burdens, to undue exercise of authority, and the like; its chief application, therefore, is to a social or political situation:
  a tyrant oppressing his subjects.
  Depress suggests mainly the psychological effect, upon the individual, of unpleasant conditions, situations, etc., that sadden and discourage:
  depressed by the news.
  When oppress is sometimes used in this sense, it suggests a psychological attitude of more complete hopelessness:
  oppressed by a sense of failure.
• 1. maltreat, persecute.

Antonyms

• 2. uphold, encourage.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

oppress / əˈprɛs/ verb (transitive)

1. to subjugate by cruelty, force, etc
2. to afflict or torment
3. to lie heavily on (the mind, imagination, etc)
4. an obsolete word for overwhelm

Etymology: 14th Century: via Old French from Medieval Latin oppressāre, from Latin opprimere, from ob- against + premere to press

opˈpressingly adverb

opˈpressor noun