Oppression is the cruel or unfair treatment of a group of people.
...an attempt to escape political oppression.
...the oppression of the 19th-century poor by the rich.
[Also + of]
Synonyms: persecution, control, suffering, abuse More Synonyms of oppression
oppression in British English
(əˈprɛʃən)
noun
1.
the act of subjugating by cruelty, force, etc or the state of being subjugated in this way
2.
the condition of being afflicted or tormented
3.
the condition of having something lying heavily on one's mind, imagination, etc
oppression in American English
(əˈprɛʃən)
noun
1.
an oppressing or being oppressed
2.
a thing that oppresses
3.
a feeling of being weighed down, as with worries or problems; physical or mental distress
Word origin
OFr < L oppressio
Examples of 'oppression' in a sentence
oppression
She'll probably soon find evidence of exploitation and oppression too: you can always find it if you look hard enough.
Low, Ona TO HIS JUST DESSERTS (2003)
The people are just starting to rebuild their lives again after decades of oppression.
MacNeill, Alastair THE DEVIL'S DOOR (2003)
Quotations
the most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressedSteve Biko`Black Consciousness and the Quest for a True Humanity'
In other languages
oppression
British English: oppression NOUN
Oppression is the cruel or unfair treatment of a group of people.
...an attempt to escape political oppression.
American English: oppression
Brazilian Portuguese: opressão
Chinese: 压迫
European Spanish: opresión
French: oppression
German: Unterdrückung
Italian: oppressione
Japanese: 抑圧
Korean: 억압
European Portuguese: opressão
Latin American Spanish: opresión
(noun)
an attempt to escape political oppression
Synonyms
persecution
the persecution of minorities
control
suffering
abuse
an investigation into alleged animal abuse
injury
injustice
They will continue to fight injustice.
cruelty
domination
They had five centuries of domination by the Romans.
repression
a society conditioned by violence and repression
brutality
suppression
severity
tyranny
I'm the sole victim of her tyranny.
authoritarianism
harshness
despotism
ill-treatment
subjugation
subjection
the complete subjection of the prisoners to their captors
maltreatment
iron hand
Opposites
justice
,
mercy
,
compassion
,
sympathy
,
goodness
,
kindness
,
tenderness
,
clemency
,
benevolence
,
humaneness
Quotation
the most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed [Steve Biko – `Black Consciousness and the Quest for a True Humanity']
Additional synonyms
in the sense of abuse
Definition
prolonged ill-treatment of or violence towards someone
an investigation into alleged animal abuse
Synonyms
maltreatment,
wrong,
damage,
injury,
hurt,
harm,
spoiling,
bullying,
oppression,
imposition,
mistreatment,
manhandling,
ill-treatment,
rough handling
in the sense of domination
They had five centuries of domination by the Romans.
Synonyms
control,
power,
rule,
authority,
influence,
command,
sway,
dictatorship,
repression,
oppression,
suppression,
supremacy,
mastery,
tyranny,
ascendancy,
subordination,
despotism,
subjection
in the sense of injustice
Definition
unfairness
They will continue to fight injustice.
Synonyms
unfairness,
discrimination,
prejudice,
bias,
inequality,
oppression,
intolerance,
bigotry,
favouritism,
inequity,
chauvinism,
iniquity,
partisanship,
partiality,
narrow-mindedness,
one-sidedness,
unlawfulness,
unjustness
Synonyms of 'oppression'
oppression
Explore 'oppression' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of repression
a society conditioned by violence and repression
Synonyms
subjugation,
control,
constraint,
domination,
censorship,
tyranny,
coercion,
authoritarianism,
despotism
in the sense of subjection
the complete subjection of the prisoners to their captors
Synonyms
oppression,
domination,
subjugation,
exploitation,
persecution,
suppression,
enslavement
in the sense of tyranny
Definition
oppressive and unjust government by more than one person