oppressive

adjective
UK: /əˈpresɪv/
US: /əˈpresɪv/

  1. Using power to control people in a cruel and unfair way.

    1. The king was an oppressive ruler with iron fist.
    2. The government's oppressive policies led to widespread discontent among the citizens.

  2. Describes weather that is hot and airless, making you feel uncomfortable.

    1. The oppressive heat made it hard to breathe outside today.
    2. After the storm, the air was still, humid, and felt oppressive.

  3. Difficult to bear or causing hardship; severe.

    1. The debt was an oppressive burden on the family.
    2. The oppressive silence in the room made her even more anxious than before.

Synonyms

tyrannical heavy suffocating brutal harsh

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "oppressive" in English means: Using power to control people in a cruel and unfair way., Describes weather that is hot and airless, making you feel uncomfortable., Difficult to bear or causing hardship; severe..

The phonetic transcription of "oppressive" is /əˈpresɪv/ in British English and /əˈpresɪv/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "oppressive": tyrannical, heavy, suffocating, brutal, harsh.

Example usage of "oppressive": "The king was an oppressive ruler with iron fist.". More examples on the page.