Sample sentences for OPPRESS - verbalworkout.com

2 meanings

(click/touch triangles for details)

1 —as in:
oppressive government

Definition

to dominate harshly and unfairly; or to make suffer

The meaning of oppress depends upon its context. For example:

"The authorities oppress political activists," or "The new nation oppressed Native Americans." — to dominate harshly and unfairly
"She is oppressed by excessive debt." - made to suffer

The regime oppresses its people.

oppresses = harshly and unfairly dominates

Other Uses (with this meaning)

My work environment is oppressive.

oppressive = harsh and unfair

(editor's note: The suffix "-ive" converts a word into an adjective; though over time, what was originally an adjective often comes to be used as a noun. The adjective pattern means tending to and is seen in words like attractive, impressive, and supportive. Examples of the noun include narrative, alternative, and detective.)

Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.
Elie Wiesel (Nobel Acceptance Speech)
Mom thought I should be writing exposés about oppressive landlords, social injustice, and the class struggle on the Lower East Side.
Jeannette Walls -- The Glass Castle

oppressive = harsh and unfair

On us—the most oppressed, unfortunate and pitiable people in all the world.
Anne Frank -- The Diary of a Young Girl

oppressed = treated harshly and unfairly

To be the friend of the poor and the oppressed!
Jane Austen -- Mansfield Park

oppressed = people treated harshly and unfairly

Mrs. Merriweather's large brown eyes always filled with tears when she considered the oppressed.
Harper Lee -- To Kill a Mockingbird

oppressed = people treated harshly and unfairly

We want the power to determine the destiny of our black and oppressed communities.
Angie Thomas -- The Hate U Give

oppressed = treated harshly and unfairly

My sufferings were augmented also by the oppressive sense of the injustice and ingratitude of their infliction.
Mary Shelley -- Frankenstein

oppressive = harsh and unfair

During his senior year at Woodson, he became obsessed with racial oppression in South Africa.
Jon Krakauer -- Into the Wild

oppression = harsh and unfair treatment

(editor's note: The suffix "-sion", converts a verb into a noun that denotes the action or result of the verb. Typically, there is a slight change in the ending of the root verb, as in admission from admit, discussion from discuss, and invasion from invade.)

Dictionary / pronunciation — Google^®Dictionary list — Onelook.com^®

2 —as in:
oppressive heat

Definition

to make uncomfortable (weigh heavily on the senses or spirit)

The heat is oppressive.

oppressive = uncomfortable (weighs heavily on the senses or spirit)

Other Uses (with this meaning)

She is oppressed by her insecurity.

oppressed = made uncomfortable (weighs heavily on the spirit)

The silence settled, undisturbed, oppressive.
Tara Westover -- Educated

oppressive = uncomfortable (weighing heavily on the senses or spirit)

What most oppressed him was the consciousness of his own intellectual inferiority.
George Orwell -- 1984

oppressed = weighed heavily on the senses or spirit

And doleful dumps the mind oppress,
William Shakespeare -- Romeo and Juliet

oppress = weigh heavily on the spirit

Nevertheless there was a sense of openness, a feel of a gentle breeze moving lightly about, that kept the darkness from being oppressive.
Madeleine L'Engle -- A Wrinkle in Time

oppressive = distressing

...his spirits often oppress me;
Jane Austen -- Mansfield Park

oppress = make uncomfortable

We'd gone riding up one of those revolting mountains, and it was horribly hot and oppressive, and after lunch we went to sleep.
Aldous Huxley -- Brave New World

oppressive = uncomfortable

An oppressive weight settled on Louie as he flew away from Funafuti.
Laura Hillenbrand -- Unbroken

oppressive = uncomfortable (weighing heavily on the senses or spirit)

The silence of the forest was more oppressive than the heat, and at this hour of the day there was not even the whine of insects.
William Golding -- Lord of the Flies

oppressive = uncomfortable (weighing heavily on the senses or spirit)

Dictionary / pronunciation — Google^®Dictionary list — Onelook.com^®

Search for other examples by interest

Interest — Source