as in harsh
difficult to endure
an oppressive regime that rules through terror
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Recent Examples of oppressive
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
Convention attendees in 1831 sought an end to cruel and oppressive laws devised to disadvantage free Blacks.
—Linn Washington, The Conversation, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oppressive
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
Convention attendees in 1831 sought an end to cruel and oppressive laws devised to disadvantage free Blacks.
—Linn Washington, The Conversation, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oppressive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oppressive
Adjective
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Donald Trump defended his harsh new tariffs on Saturday Night Live this week — and maybe took a swipe at last week’s musical guest, too.—
Dave Nemetz,
TVLine,
5 Apr. 2025
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When the father tried to explain himself, the women criticized him for being too harsh.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway fared better than the S & P 500 in a brutal week as investors embraced the safety of a cash-rich conglomerate while President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariffs wreaked havoc on Wall Street.—
Yun Li,
CNBC,
6 Apr. 2025
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This all comes as the economy reels from Trump’s sweeping tariffs on U.S. trading partners after brutal few days for the stock market.—
The Hill Staff,
The Hill,
5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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But the Lotus ladies will have some tough competition, including seven-time winner Allison Janney, two-time winner Patricia Arquette, and potential double nominee Kaitlyn Dever.—
Kristen Baldwin,
EW.com,
4 Apr. 2025
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What tough lessons does Cole learn through the process of getting involved with a patient this season?—
Max Gao,
Variety,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Stir-frying is a method of quickly searing and cooking bite-size pieces of protein and vegetables in a splash of oil over high heat.—
Lynda Balslev,
Mercury News,
1 Apr. 2025
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Theron’s performance as the one-armed warrior Furiosa is one for the ages—stoic, searing and unbearably emotional beneath the surface.—
Travis Bean,
Forbes.com,
29 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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School closures abound As severe weather persisted, school districts in multiple states opted to cancel classes for the day.—
John Bacon,
USA Today,
7 Apr. 2025
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He had been diagnosed with severe conduct disorder and antisocial traits, per 9 News.—
Latoya Gayle,
People.com,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Everybody else has no choice, really, other than to bring a cruel, narcissistic far-right leader to power.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2025
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The cruelest part is that the good ones are mixed with the bad ones.—
Matt Rivers,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Sandoval has received some pay bumps, including a temporary $10,000-a-year bonus for Hawaii special education teachers designed to alleviate shortages in that and other hard-to-staff areas.—
Alia Wong,
USA TODAY,
14 Feb. 2023
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Whether those numbers are an overstatement, or possibly an understatement, is hard to say.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes,
13 Feb. 2023
Adjective
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This is his first-person account of how a rough start after high school eventually led to a job at The Star and a redemptive moment while on assignment.—
Dominick Williams,
Kansas City Star,
4 Apr. 2025
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My strands were very soft post-wash and there was no oil or frizzy, rough texture post-wash.—
Alanna Martine Kilkeary,
Glamour,
4 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Oppressive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oppressive. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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