oppressive

adjective

op·​pres·​sive ə-ˈpre-siv 

1

: unreasonably burdensome or severe

oppressive legislation

oppressive taxes

the oppressive power of corporations and Wall Street

—Jim Hightower

2

: tyrannical

an oppressive government

3

: overwhelming or depressing to the spirit or senses

an oppressive climate

the dusty drabness that was oppressive in its uneventfulness

—Geoffrey Moorhouse

oppressively adverb

oppressiveness noun

Synonyms

• bitter
• brutal
• burdensome
• cruel
• excruciating
• grievous
• grim
• hard
• hardhanded
• harsh
• heavy
• inhuman
• murderous
• onerous
• rough
• rugged
• searing
• severe
• stiff
• tough
• trying

Choose the Right Synonym for oppressive

onerous, burdensome, oppressive, exacting mean imposing hardship.

onerous stresses being laborious and heavy especially because distasteful.

the onerous task of cleaning up the mess

burdensome suggests causing mental as well as physical strain.

burdensome responsibilities

oppressive implies extreme harshness or severity in what is imposed.

the oppressive tyranny of a police state

exacting implies rigor or sternness rather than tyranny or injustice in the demands made or in the one demanding.

an exacting employer

Examples of oppressive in a Sentence

The country is ruled by an oppressive regime.

I think these laws are oppressive.

This region suffers from oppressive heat in the summer months.

The situation was extremely tense; no one said a word, and the silence was oppressive.

Recent Examples on the Web

Cryptocurrency mixers can be essential tools for individuals who value privacy, including those living under oppressive regimes, journalists, whistleblowers, and businesses that require confidentiality in their transactions. —Becca Bratcher, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025

Coventry became the minister of sports a year after the coup that removed Mugabe in the new administration of current President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Mugabe’s vice president who rights groups say has continued many of Mugabe’s oppressive policies. —Gerald Imray, Chicago Tribune, 20 Mar. 2025

Rasoulof’s depiction of an Iranian family torn apart by conflicting loyalties to an increasingly oppressive Tehran regime, was set up as a German-French co-production and shot in secret in Iran. —Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Mar. 2025

Neither Evil Steve Jobs nor his mercenary lackey are given much of a motor and oppressive presence. —Courtney Howard, Variety, 7 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Medieval Latin; Middle French oppressif, borrowed from Medieval Latin oppressīvus, from Latin oppressus, past participle of opprimere "to press on, stifle, overpower" + -īvus -ive — more at oppress

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for oppressive

• aggressive
• compressive
• concessive
• depressive
• excessive
• expressive
• impressive
• obsessive
• possessive
• progressive
• recessive
• regressive

Kids Definition

oppressive

adjective

op·​pres·​sive ə-ˈpres-iv 

1

: cruel or harsh without just cause

oppressive taxes

2

: causing a feeling of oppression

oppressive heat

oppressively adverb

oppressiveness noun