Crossword Dictionary
OPPRESS
oppress, suppress, crush - v
come down on or keep down by unjust use of one's authority; "The government oppresses political activists"
Synonyms
afflict, annoy, beat down, harass, maltreat, overwhelm, persecute, pick on, prey on, subjugate, suppress, torment, torture, trample, vex, abuse, aggrieve, burden, crush, dishearten, dispirit, distress, encumber, force, handicap, harry, hound, outrage, overcome, overload, overpower, overthrow, plague, press, ride, rule, sadden, saddle, smother, strain, tax, trouble, worry, wrong
Examples
During the first year of her reign she made known that she was "resolved not to follow the example of her predecessor in making use of a few of her subjects to oppress the rest.
The Germans were thereby deprived of their weapon of obstruction, and the Czechs lost the power of misusing their majority to oppress the Germans.
He had been five years a preacher when the Restoration put it in the power of the Cavalier gentlemen and clergymen all over the country to oppress the dissenters.
Etymology
late 14c., oppressen, "to press unduly upon or against, overburden, weigh down," also figuratively, "overwhelm overpower" (of sickness, grief, etc.); also "burden with cruel, unjust, or unreasonable restraints, treat with injustice or undue severity, keep down by an unjust exercise of power," from Old French opresser "oppress, afflict; torment, smother" (13c.), from Medieval Latin oppressare