oppressive regime
/əˈprɛsɪv rɪˈʒiːm/ · op·pres·sive re·gime
noun
- A government or authority that exercises harsh, unjust, or authoritarian control over its population. Human‑rights observers condemned the country’s oppressive regime for imprisoning dissenters without trial.
Synonyms
dictatorshipautocracytyrannydespotismtotalitarian stateauthoritarian regimeiron‑fist governmentpolice state
Antonyms
Did you know? The phrase "oppressive regime" gained widespread usage during the Cold War, where Western media frequently applied it to the Soviet Union and its satellite states to highlight their lack of political freedoms.