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Oppress vs Subdue - What's the difference?

oppress | subdue |

As verbs the difference between oppress and subdue

is that oppress is (obsolete) physically to press down on (someone) with harmful effects; to smother, crush while subdue is to overcome, quieten, or bring under control.

oppress

English

Verb

(es)
  • (obsolete) Physically to press down on (someone) with harmful effects; to smother, crush.
  • * , II.x:
    • Most mercilesse of women, VVyden hight, / Her other sonne fast sleeping did oppresse , / And with most cruell hand him murdred pittilesse.
  • To keep down by force
    • The rural poor were oppressed by the land-owners.
  • To make sad or gloomy
    • We were oppressed by the constant grey skies.

    Related terms

    * oppression

    External links

    * * English transitive verbs

    subdue

    English

    Verb

    (subdu)
  • To overcome, quieten, or bring under control.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=September 2 , author=Phil McNulty , title=Bulgaria 0-3 England , work=BBC citation , page= , passage=Gary Cahill, a target for Arsenal and Tottenham before the transfer window closed, put England ahead early on and Rooney was on target twice before the interval as the early hostility of the Bulgarian supporters was swiftly subdued .}}
  • To bring (a country) under control by force.

    • Synonyms

    *