OPPRESSING Synonyms: 89 Similar and Opposite Words

oppressing

verb

present participle of oppress

as in torturing

to make sad this gloomy weather is oppressing all of us

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in overcoming

to subject to incapacitating emotional or mental stress a film about a man who is haunted and oppressed by the secrets of his past

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of oppressing Claiming that other people expressing their civil rights is oppressing them, and politicizing what are supposed to be non-partisan parts of how the government works on the state and federal level. — Literary Hub, 23 July 2026 Norway was itself a colonizer, and programs oppressing indigenous cultures and languages were in place well into the 1960s. — Ola Morris Innset, The Dial, 2 June 2026 Having been raised not too far from similarly-minded environs, this Turkish critic knows that keeping a pure and noble familial slate in patriarchy often means oppressing women. — Tomris Laffly, Variety, 20 May 2026 Israel has been grievously oppressing people in its area who are not Jewish. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 14 May 2026 Underlying such obvious acts of aggression lies an insidious tendency for transnational repression to flow from despots into democracies, oppressing lawyers of all nationalities in the process. — Irwin Cotler, Time, 8 May 2026 In Russia, Cuba, Iran, Belarus, and Uganda, dictatorships have carried on for decades—oppressing and killing their people, attacking their neighbors, and destabilizing their regions. — Garry Kasparov, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2026 Now, the Franciscan missionaries oppressing the Native Americans in the painting had arrows piercing their heads and bodies. — Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 6 Sep. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for oppressing

Verb

In 1996, Pike was found guilty of first-degree murder for beating, torturing and killing Slemmer, a fellow Jobs Corps worker, in a remote area of the University of Tennessee Agricultural campus.

— Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026
In 1995, Christa Pike confessed to murdering and torturing her classmate Colleen Slemmer.

— Robert Gebelhoff, Washington Post, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of torturing

Verb

Hall-effect switches come in 3-pin or 5-pin varieties, and the polarity of the switch’s magnet must be compatible with the PCB’s sensors, or depressing the switch may not trigger the sensor beneath it.

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 5 Oct. 2026
Political polarization certainly plays a role in depressing sales, as does inadequate charging infrastructure.

— Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of depressing

Verb

The media has overwhelming taken Wilson's side, even after the man was proven innocent, and players like Chicago Sky's Natasha Cloud claimed the fan may be a domestic abuser.

— Jon Root OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
The costumers have done a great job of supporting the characters; the soundtrack music, by Oli Julian, is unusual enough to notice without overwhelming the action.

— Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of overwhelming

Verb

The policy could have affected legally present immigrants, Temporary Protected Status holders and DACA recipients, while burdening underfunded agencies and deterring families from seeking help.

— Moriah Balingit, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026
Under the law, the state must prove a compelling interest for burdening a person's religion and that its solution is the least restrictive way of furthering that interest.

— Cate Charron, IndyStar, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of burdening

Verb

The region has already been saturated by heavy rain over the past months, and regions like New Mexico and Grand Canyon were hit by devastating floods earlier this month.

— Megan Janetsky, Chicago Tribune, 28 Sep. 2026
Military force has imposed enormous costs on both Hamas and Iran, devastating their military facilities and killing their commanders.

— NADIA SCHADLOW, Foreign Affairs, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of devastating

Verb

Troubleshooting Tips If your Venus flytrap looks unwell, but is otherwise well watered, here’s what may be troubling your plant.

— Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Aug. 2026
In the final, Simon had little to do as Argentina registered only two shots in 120 minutes of action, with neither troubling the Athletic Club goalkeeper.

— Leon Imber, New York Times, 19 July 2026

Definition of troubling

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oppresses

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“Oppressing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oppressing. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of oppressing

verb

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