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oppressive

[uh-pres-iv] / əˈprɛs ɪv /




Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Coday relayed the story of a woman who he said fled Iran because of its oppressive regime.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

“One of the interesting things about L.A. was, when I moved there, I couldn’t really blame the city anymore because I wasn’t in an oppressive place,” he remembers.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026

We can and should hope for a better outcome for Iranians than for Iraqis: freedom from an oppressive regime, minimal death and destruction, a smooth democratic transition, a functional democracy, a peaceful and prosperous society.

From Slate • Mar. 11, 2026

In the build up to the 1966 coup, Nkrumah had faced criticism that he was becoming increasingly oppressive.

From BBC • Feb. 24, 2026

Up close the city constitutes an oppressive series of staircases, but from a distance it inspires fantasies of wealth and power so profound that even our communists are temporarily rendered speechless.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris




Vocabulary lists containing oppressive