oppressed
UK: əˈprest | US: əˈprest
adj. subjected to harsh and unjust treatment or control
vt. (past tense of oppress) to keep someone in hardship or under cruel authority
The word oppressed traces back to Latin oppressus, the past participle of opprimere ("to press against, crush"). It combines ob- (a variant of op-, meaning "against") and premere ("to press"). Over time, the term evolved in Middle English (via Old French oppresser) to describe systematic cruelty or subjugation. The morpheme -ed marks it as a past participle, emphasizing a state of being subjected to oppression.
The oppressed citizens demanded freedom from the dictator’s rule.
Throughout history, many groups have fought against being oppressed.
She wrote a novel about the oppressed workers in the 19th century.
The protest aimed to give voice to the oppressed minorities.
Oppressed people often unite to resist injustice.