downtrodden
Ground into dust
Downtrodden describes people who have been oppressed or treated harshly by those with power over them: the downtrodden masses, giving voice to the downtrodden.
The image is of being trampled underfoot.
The word appears almost exclusively as an adjective, though it began as a past participle of the now-rare verb downtread.
Pushed to society's edges
- persecutedSubjected to hostile treatment
- exploitedUnfairly utilized for benefit
- subjugatedBrought under control
- disenfranchisedDeprived of voting rights
powerless · voiceless · discriminated · stigmatized · repressed · silenced · abused · mistreated
Overcome in contest
- hopelessBeyond possibility of success
- brokenDamaged beyond function
- despairingCompletely without hope
- dejectedLow in spirits
dispirited · discouraged · crestfallen · beaten · resigned · submissive · cowed · humiliated
Lacking sufficient resources
- destituteUtterly without means
- indigentExtremely poor, lacking necessities
- pauperPerson in extreme poverty
- beggarOne who asks for charity
urchin · serf · peasant · underclass · proletariat · plebeian · commoner · slum
No longer recalled
- ignoredPurposely not noticed
- overlookedNot noticed or considered
- abandonedLeft behind completely
- disregardedNot given consideration
unnoticed · sidelined · dismissed · uncared-for · undervalued · unrecognized · unappreciated · invisible
Utterly depleted of energy
- wornDamaged by use
- burdenedCarrying a heavy load
- drainedEmptied of resources
- overburdenedCarrying more than manageable
toiling · laboring · careworn · haggard · struggling · overworked · world-weary · long-suffering
marginalized
Pushed to society's edges
- persecutedSubjected to hostile treatment
- exploitedUnfairly utilized for benefit
- subjugatedBrought under control
disenfranchised · powerless · voiceless · discriminated · stigmatized · repressed · silenced · abused · mistreated · underprivileged
defeated
Overcome in contest
- hopelessBeyond possibility of success
- brokenDamaged beyond function
- despairingCompletely without hope
dejected · dispirited · discouraged · crestfallen · beaten · resigned · submissive · cowed · humiliated · degraded
poor
Lacking sufficient resources
- destituteUtterly without means
- indigentExtremely poor, lacking necessities
- pauperPerson in extreme poverty
beggar · urchin · serf · peasant · underclass · proletariat · plebeian · commoner · slum · shanty
forgotten
No longer recalled
- ignoredPurposely not noticed
- overlookedNot noticed or considered
- abandonedLeft behind completely
disregarded · unnoticed · sidelined · dismissed · uncared-for · undervalued · unrecognized · unappreciated · invisible · unseen
exhausted
Utterly depleted of energy
overburdened · toiling · laboring · careworn · haggard · struggling · overworked · world-weary · long-suffering · beleaguered
- Downdownward, downhill, downstairs, downstream, downwind
- underclasspoor, pauper, peasant, homeless, serf
- povertypoverty line, poor, poverty rate, impoverished, generational poverty
- despairdespair, hopelessness, desolation, despondency, dejection
- hard timeshardship, struggle, struggling, unemployment, tough times
- social classupper class, middle class, lower class, working class, social class
downtroddenprivileged
Having special advantages
elite · powerful · ruling · dominant · aristocratic
downtroddenrespected
Held in high regard
honored · revered · esteemed · uplifted · celebrated
downtroddentriumphant
Joyfully victorious
empowered · confident · uplifted · proud · emboldened