as in harsh
difficult to endure
an oppressive regime that rules through terror
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Recent Examples of oppressive
The technological innovations that have made possible the appearance of hypertext and hypermedia have sometimes been assessed in various research communities as either emancipatory or oppressive, and the discussion of their impacts upon communication has also been polarized.
—
Carmen Daniela Maier, Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 May 2026
Despite the often oppressive cost of California living, the state’s residents surprisingly carry solid credit scores.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 23 May 2026
The clothing, meanwhile, is made in a Chinese sweatshop, whose oppressive and dangerous working conditions Riley depicts in flashbacks and interpolations.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 22 May 2026
The film is simultaneously unadorned and deeply oppressive, staying close to the historical record (while fictionalizing the circumstances of Moulin’s eventual death, or martyrdom) in a fashion that offers little perspective, beyond a humanist call-to-arms and appeal toward remembrance.
—David Katz, IndieWire, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for oppressive
Carmen Daniela Maier, Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 May 2026
Despite the often oppressive cost of California living, the state’s residents surprisingly carry solid credit scores.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 23 May 2026
The clothing, meanwhile, is made in a Chinese sweatshop, whose oppressive and dangerous working conditions Riley depicts in flashbacks and interpolations.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 22 May 2026
The film is simultaneously unadorned and deeply oppressive, staying close to the historical record (while fictionalizing the circumstances of Moulin’s eventual death, or martyrdom) in a fashion that offers little perspective, beyond a humanist call-to-arms and appeal toward remembrance.
—David Katz, IndieWire, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for oppressive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oppressive
Adjective
-
The table tells a harsher story.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 May 2026
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The girls’ mother, who traveled to appear in court Thursday with Doe 8, called for a harsh punishment and described how O’Connor, once in Idaho, helped sneak out Doe 8 to see her son, at one point provided them a hotel room.—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
28 May 2026
Adjective
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Bichette is off to a brutal start, Francisco Lindor’s spring hamate injury may have affected his power even before his calf strain knocked him out for the last month, and Jorge Polanco has barely been on the field.—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
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Hounded by a loud, impatient Eisenhower and faced with the very real evidence that a brutal trio of storms will make an early June invasion impossible, Stagg is torn between doing his duty and, well, doing his duty.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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Management has partly attributed the membership slowdown to tougher comparisons from a year earlier, but there’s more to the story.—
Paulina Likos,
CNBC,
28 May 2026
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The California Assembly on Thursday overwhelming voted in favor of a bill that would prohibit children under 16 years old from having a social media account, setting up what is likely to continue to be a tough battle over the coming months.—
Stephen Hobbs,
Sacbee.com,
28 May 2026
Adjective
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Some 1,000 people participated at the state Capitol’s annual candlelight vigil to remember the missing, support families and recommit to ending the violence causing such searing pain in California Indian Country.—
James C Ramos,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 May 2026
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The searing conditions have turned deadly, with multiple drownings in British lakes, French surf and Spanish beaches as people seek relief before lifeguard patrols and summer safety measures are fully in place.—
Jill Lawless,
Los Angeles Times,
26 May 2026
Adjective
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Environmental stressors can include insufficient water, high temperatures, excessive moisture and/or nitrogen, severe pruning, or root damage.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
29 May 2026
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Five individuals have been hospitalized, and two have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a severe complication that can lead to acute kidney failure.—
Lori Weisberg,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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In the late '90s and early '00s, Pamela Anderson became a tabloid fixture who was frequently the butt of cruel jokes alongside many other female celebrities of the era.—
Brianna Zigler,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 May 2026
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But fate, cruel and sudden, had other ideas.—
Greg Engle,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Adjective
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Getting warships into the water is hard enough without wasting funds on vessels unlikely ever to sail.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
30 May 2026
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Hulst setting a hard pace from the gun with Serna trying to hold on long enough to outkick him in the end.—
Scott M. Reid,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
Adjective
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There is a high risk of dangerous rip currents and rough surf at all Central Florida beaches.—
Garfield Hylton,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 May 2026
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This rich neck cream is great for crepiness, fine lines, and rough skin texture.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Glamour,
27 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Oppressive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oppressive. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
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