1. oppressed or treated badly by people in positions of power

Examples

• The downtrodden workers finally organized a strike for better conditions.
• She dedicated her life to helping downtrodden communities gain access to education.
• The novel tells the story of downtrodden peasants fighting against their cruel landlords.
• Many downtrodden people found hope in the civil rights movement.
• The charity focuses on providing aid to downtrodden families in poverty.
• He felt downtrodden after years of being ignored by his supervisors.