Antonyms for oppress

Grammar : Verb

Spell : uh-pres

Phonetic Transcription : əˈprɛs

Definition of oppress

Origin : mid-14c., from Old French opresser "oppress, afflict; torment, smother" (13c.), from Medieval Latin oppressare, frequentative of Latin opprimere "press against, press together, press down;" figuratively "crush, put down, subdue, prosecute relentlessly" (in Late Latin "to rape"), from ob "against" (see ob-) + premere "to press, push" (see press (v.1)).
It is the due [external] restraint and not the moderation of rulers that constitutes a state of liberty; as the power to oppress, though never exercised, does a state of slavery. [St. George Tucker, "View of the Constitution of the United States," 1803]
Related: Oppressed; oppressing.

verb depress, subdue

Example sentences :

And do they not make use of your own generosity to oppress you?
Extract from : « Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9) » by Samuel Richardson

How you oppress me, my dearest friend, with your politeness!
Extract from : « Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9) » by Samuel Richardson

But I will not oppress you, my dearest friend, with further reflections of this sort.
Extract from : « Clarissa, Volume 2 (of 9) » by Samuel Richardson

White Fang knew the law well: to oppress the weak and obey the strong.
Extract from : « White Fang » by Jack London

The code he learned was to obey the strong and to oppress the weak.
Extract from : « White Fang » by Jack London

I think that in those days there was a good deal to oppress Peter Blood.
Extract from : « Captain Blood » by Rafael Sabatini

And does he, also, oppress you with his professional knowledge?
Extract from : « The Bondwoman » by Marah Ellis Ryan

"It is the sacred right of the citizen to oppress the oppressor," chimed Jude.
Extract from : « The False Chevalier » by William Douw Lighthall

And a knowledge of her danger—he put it that way—began to oppress him.
Extract from : « The Tyranny of the Dark » by Hamlin Garland

The tedium of futile undertakings will oppress us from the first moment.
Extract from : « Spontaneous Activity in Education » by Maria Montessori

Synonyms for oppress

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019