the downtrodden

noun

: people who are without hope because of being treated badly by powerful people, governments, etc.
He showed compassion for the downtrodden.

Examples of the downtrodden in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
During her ensuing search, Hazel encounters the ghosts of slaves and the downtrodden everywhere. Harold Goldberg, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025 People, not only Blacks and the downtrodden, prayed for his stamina. Bea L. Hines, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2025 Father Richard Estrada, defender of the downtrodden, dead at 83 The son of Mexican immigrants, Estrada was a champion of the downtrodden. Fidel Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2025 Both artists love refurbishing Classic Bruce gestures into sleek new products, but where The War on Drugs’ lyrics can be frustratingly opaque, Fender strives to place us in the downtrodden reality he’s left behind but can’t escape. Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 24 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for the downtrodden

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“The downtrodden.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20downtrodden. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!