Oppressive
adjective
Making you feel worried and uncomfortable.
The oppressive summer heat made everyone stay indoors.
Often appears as...
- oppressive heat
- oppressive humidity
adjective
Using power in a cruel or unfair way.
The oppressive regime was overthrown by a revolution.
Often appears as...
- oppressive regimes
- oppressive system
Usage tips
Disapproving
adjective
Makes you feel very unhappy and anxious.
The lack of hope was oppressive in the prison.
Often appears as...
- oppressive feelings
- oppressive environment
Usage tips
Disapproving
adjective
Making you feel worried and uncomfortable.
The oppressive summer heat made everyone stay indoors.
Often appears as...
- oppressive heat
- oppressive humidity
adjective
Using power in a cruel or unfair way.
The oppressive regime was overthrown by a revolution.
Often appears as...
- oppressive regimes
- oppressive system
Usage tips
Disapproving
adjective
Makes you feel very unhappy and anxious.
The lack of hope was oppressive in the prison.
Often appears as...
- oppressive feelings
- oppressive environment
Usage tips
Disapproving
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Weather Context
Use 'oppressive' to describe extreme discomfort due to weather, like heat or humidity.
The oppressive humidity made it difficult to breathe outside.
Pro Tip 2/3Sensory Effect
It's often used when the environment's effects are almost tangible, as if you can feel the weight.
The oppressive darkness in the cellar was almost palpable.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Always Literal
Sometimes used metaphorically to describe situations that feel overwhelmingly negative.
The oppressive nature of the job left him exhausted.
Pro Tip 1/3Weather Context
Use 'oppressive' to describe extreme discomfort due to weather, like heat or humidity.
The oppressive humidity made it difficult to breathe outside.
Pro Tip 2/3Sensory Effect
It's often used when the environment's effects are almost tangible, as if you can feel the weight.
The oppressive darkness in the cellar was almost palpable.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Always Literal
Sometimes used metaphorically to describe situations that feel overwhelmingly negative.
The oppressive nature of the job left him exhausted.
Pro Tip 1/3Weather Context
Use 'oppressive' to describe extreme discomfort due to weather, like heat or humidity.
The oppressive humidity made it difficult to breathe outside.
Pro Tip 2/3Sensory Effect
It's often used when the environment's effects are almost tangible, as if you can feel the weight.
The oppressive darkness in the cellar was almost palpable.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Always Literal
Sometimes used metaphorically to describe situations that feel overwhelmingly negative.
The oppressive nature of the job left him exhausted.
Compare with
authoritarianburdensomecoercivecrueldespoticdictatorialdomineerharshtyrannical
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Video examples
Srdja Popovic: How to...
It seems that Generation Y is coming. Now, let me set another example. I'm meeting different people throughout the world, and they are, you know, academics, and professors, and doctors, and they will always talk conditions. They will "People power will work only if the regime is not too oppressive."
Video examples
Leslie T. Chang: The...
these victims with every purchase we make, and the injustice feels embedded in the products themselves. After all, what's wrong with a world in which a worker on an iPhone assembly line can't even afford to buy one? It's taken for granted that Chinese factories are oppressive,
Video examples
Bran Ferren: To create...
My dad said it was called the Pantheon, a temple for all of the gods. It didn't look all that special from the outside, as I said, but when we walked inside, I was immediately struck by three First of all, it was pleasantly cool despite the oppressive heat outside.
Video examples
An inside look at...
oppressive state after all I could gather as I liked I could rail against the government as I wanted nobody was going to black-bag me and disappear me but most importantly the Islamic University that I attended I met a young Islamic scholar who would challenge my
Video examples
3 ways to create a space...
You look up, half-erased chalkboard, you can see that perfectly written cursive alphabet, the pull-down maps, you can hear, tick, tick, tick, ticking on the wall, that industrial clock. But most importantly, you can feel that oppressive fluorescent light,
Video examples
Is your country at risk...
That is why I said it is very important to cover the stories of activists in the way that it helps mobilize people, not in the way that it helps deter their action and force even more their subjugation to the oppressive system.
Video examples
Portraits of Afghanistan...
western trained police soldiers aid workers community organizers female business owners and politicians girls and boys attending public schools young people who never lived under the taliban's oppressive rules
Video examples
An anti-hero of one's...
This step, for the anti-hero, is seldom a matter of brave, wise and heroic opposition. Maybe the anti-hero fights and succeeds in destroying the oppressive government, with a lot of impossible luck.
Video examples
History vs. Vladimir...
He was one of the most influential figures of the 20th century, forever changing the course of one of the world's largest countries. But was he a hero who toppled an oppressive tyranny
Video examples
A Saudi woman who dared...
Allow me to start this talk with a question to everyone. You know that all over the world, people fight for their freedom, fight for their rights. Some battle oppressive governments.
Video examples
Srdja Popovic: How to...
It seems that Generation Y is coming. Now, let me set another example. I'm meeting different people throughout the world, and they are, you know, academics, and professors, and doctors, and they will always talk conditions. They will "People power will work only if the regime is not too oppressive."
Video examples
Leslie T. Chang: The...
these victims with every purchase we make, and the injustice feels embedded in the products themselves. After all, what's wrong with a world in which a worker on an iPhone assembly line can't even afford to buy one? It's taken for granted that Chinese factories are oppressive,
Video examples
Bran Ferren: To create...
My dad said it was called the Pantheon, a temple for all of the gods. It didn't look all that special from the outside, as I said, but when we walked inside, I was immediately struck by three First of all, it was pleasantly cool despite the oppressive heat outside.
Video examples
An inside look at...
oppressive state after all I could gather as I liked I could rail against the government as I wanted nobody was going to black-bag me and disappear me but most importantly the Islamic University that I attended I met a young Islamic scholar who would challenge my
Video examples
3 ways to create a space...
You look up, half-erased chalkboard, you can see that perfectly written cursive alphabet, the pull-down maps, you can hear, tick, tick, tick, ticking on the wall, that industrial clock. But most importantly, you can feel that oppressive fluorescent light,
Video examples
Is your country at risk...
That is why I said it is very important to cover the stories of activists in the way that it helps mobilize people, not in the way that it helps deter their action and force even more their subjugation to the oppressive system.
Video examples
Portraits of Afghanistan...
western trained police soldiers aid workers community organizers female business owners and politicians girls and boys attending public schools young people who never lived under the taliban's oppressive rules
Video examples
An anti-hero of one's...
This step, for the anti-hero, is seldom a matter of brave, wise and heroic opposition. Maybe the anti-hero fights and succeeds in destroying the oppressive government, with a lot of impossible luck.
Video examples
History vs. Vladimir...
He was one of the most influential figures of the 20th century, forever changing the course of one of the world's largest countries. But was he a hero who toppled an oppressive tyranny
Video examples
A Saudi woman who dared...
Allow me to start this talk with a question to everyone. You know that all over the world, people fight for their freedom, fight for their rights. Some battle oppressive governments.
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
H. P. Lovecraft
American Novelist
Science, already oppressive with its shocking revelations, will perhaps be the ultimate exterminator of our human species - if separate species we be - for its reserve of unguessed horrors could never be borne by mortal brains if loosed upon the world.
Quote examples
Oliver Ellsworth
American Lawyer
The power of collecting money from the people is not to be rejected because it has sometimes been oppressive. Public credit is as necessary for the prosperity of a nation as private credit is for the support and wealth of a family.
Quote examples
Tyler Cowen
American Economist
I think a lot of people will be liberated from a lot of oppressive manufacturing jobs, or a lot of service jobs, because they'll be done by computers. There'll be the world's best education available online and free.
Quote examples
Jimmy Wales
American Businessman
What can we put into the hands of people under oppressive regimes to help them? For me, a big part of it is information, knowledge - the ability to defeat propaganda by understanding it.
Quote examples
Joko Beck
American Educator
To some degree we all find life difficult, perplexing, and oppressive. Even when it goes well, as it may for a time, we worry that it probably won't keep on that way.
Quote examples
Julian Barnes
English Writer
In an oppressive society the truth-telling nature of literature is of a different order, and sometimes valued more highly than other elements in a work of art.
Quote examples
John Rhys-Davies
Welsh Actor
Given the fact that I have a family and responsibilities, it's the mark of a man to find the courage to do what is right in the face of oppressive evil.
Quote examples
Walter Kaufmann
German Philosopher
Life ceases to be so oppressive: we are free to give our own lives meaning and purpose, free to redeem our suffering by making something of it.
Quote examples
Bob Menendez
American Politician
Fidel's oppressive legacy will haunt the Cuban regime and our hemisphere forever.
Quote examples
James Hillman
American Psychologist
We need to work on the world so it will not be so oppressive.
Quote examples
H. P. Lovecraft
American Novelist
Science, already oppressive with its shocking revelations, will perhaps be the ultimate exterminator of our human species - if separate species we be - for its reserve of unguessed horrors could never be borne by mortal brains if loosed upon the world.
Quote examples
Oliver Ellsworth
American Lawyer
The power of collecting money from the people is not to be rejected because it has sometimes been oppressive. Public credit is as necessary for the prosperity of a nation as private credit is for the support and wealth of a family.
Quote examples
Tyler Cowen
American Economist
I think a lot of people will be liberated from a lot of oppressive manufacturing jobs, or a lot of service jobs, because they'll be done by computers. There'll be the world's best education available online and free.
Quote examples
Jimmy Wales
American Businessman
What can we put into the hands of people under oppressive regimes to help them? For me, a big part of it is information, knowledge - the ability to defeat propaganda by understanding it.
Quote examples
Joko Beck
American Educator
To some degree we all find life difficult, perplexing, and oppressive. Even when it goes well, as it may for a time, we worry that it probably won't keep on that way.
Quote examples
Julian Barnes
English Writer
In an oppressive society the truth-telling nature of literature is of a different order, and sometimes valued more highly than other elements in a work of art.
Quote examples
John Rhys-Davies
Welsh Actor
Given the fact that I have a family and responsibilities, it's the mark of a man to find the courage to do what is right in the face of oppressive evil.
Quote examples
Walter Kaufmann
German Philosopher
Life ceases to be so oppressive: we are free to give our own lives meaning and purpose, free to redeem our suffering by making something of it.
Quote examples
Bob Menendez
American Politician
Fidel's oppressive legacy will haunt the Cuban regime and our hemisphere forever.
Quote examples
James Hillman
American Psychologist
We need to work on the world so it will not be so oppressive.
Example 1 of 10
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