Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

oppress

/əˈpɹɛs/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.88 in modern English

Syllables: op-press
IPA: /əˈpɹɛs/

11

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

2

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To keep down by unjust force.

Transitive verb

verb

To make sad or gloomy.

Transitive verb

verb

Physically to press down on (someone) with harmful effects; to smother, crush.

Obsolete; Transitive verb

verb

To sexually violate; to rape.

Obsolete; Transitive verb

noun

Countable; Obsolete; Uncountable

Example Sentences

"The rural poor were oppressed by the land-owners."
"We were oppressed by the constant grey skies."
"Most mercilesse of women, VVyden hight, / Her other sonne fast sleeping did oppresse, / And with most cruell hand him murdred pittilesse."

Etymology

From Middle English oppressen, from Old French oppresser, from Medieval Latin oppressare (“to press against, oppress”), frequentative of Latin opprimere, past participle oppressus (“to press against, press together, oppress”), from ob (“against”) + premere, past participle pressus (“to press”); see press.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: oppressen, oppresser, oppressare, opprimere

Usage

Inflected Forms

oppresses (present, singular) oppressing (participle, present) oppressed (participle, past) oppressed (past) no-table-tags (table tags) glossary (inflection template) oppressed (first person, past) oppressest (archaic, present) oppressed (past, second person) oppressedst (archaic, past) oppresseth (archaic, present) oppressed (past, singular)

Derived Forms

oppressee oppressor reoppress

Frequently Paired Words

oppression oppressive

Synonyms

suppress entrap begloom get down aggrieve attrist begrieve besorrow grieve pain bring down come down on

Rhymes With

yes less guess press success unless vs dress stress express mess des

Questions

How do you pronounce oppress?: The recorded pronunciation is /əˈpɹɛs/.
What does oppress mean?: To keep down by unjust force.
Where does oppress come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce oppress

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “oppress”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/əˈpɹɛs/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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