Hobbesian
adjective
Hobbes·ian
ˈhäb-zē-ən 
Examples of Hobbesian in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The series features epic wars among clans of feral cats who inhabit a Hobbesian world.
—
Simon Montlake, The Christian Science Monitor, 9 Apr. 2024
These early thinkers fought to make Hobbesian authoritarianism impossible by establishing the rule of law and constitutionally limited government, with safeguards in place to protect individual freedoms.
—Helena Rosenblatt, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024
The enemies of the unnatural liberal order that the Western world carved out of the tribal wilderness are united in their effort to thrust us back into the Hobbesian state of nature.
—Daniel Foster, National Review, 30 Nov. 2023
To this day, Libya remains trapped in a Hobbesian hell of internecine warfare and lawlessness.
—Max Boot, Foreign Affairs, 10 Mar. 2023
Throughout much of the 17th century, the Hobbesian view seemed to be on the winning side of history.
—Joseph Loconte, National Review, 2 Apr. 2022
There’s also a genuine attempt to explore the traditional tropes of the apocalyptic setting, like the descent into Hobbesian sadism.
—Will Bedingfield, WIRED, 12 Jan. 2023
There are extremely suboptimal futures in which our species straggles onward in a brutish, Hobbesian nightmare — back to the Stone Age.
—Joel Achenbach, Washington Post, 7 Nov. 2022
Russia has become Europe’s Hobbesian nightmare.
—Joseph Loconte, National Review, 2 Apr. 2022
Simon Montlake, The Christian Science Monitor, 9 Apr. 2024
These early thinkers fought to make Hobbesian authoritarianism impossible by establishing the rule of law and constitutionally limited government, with safeguards in place to protect individual freedoms.
—Helena Rosenblatt, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024
The enemies of the unnatural liberal order that the Western world carved out of the tribal wilderness are united in their effort to thrust us back into the Hobbesian state of nature.
—Daniel Foster, National Review, 30 Nov. 2023
To this day, Libya remains trapped in a Hobbesian hell of internecine warfare and lawlessness.
—Max Boot, Foreign Affairs, 10 Mar. 2023
Throughout much of the 17th century, the Hobbesian view seemed to be on the winning side of history.
—Joseph Loconte, National Review, 2 Apr. 2022
There’s also a genuine attempt to explore the traditional tropes of the apocalyptic setting, like the descent into Hobbesian sadism.
—Will Bedingfield, WIRED, 12 Jan. 2023
There are extremely suboptimal futures in which our species straggles onward in a brutish, Hobbesian nightmare — back to the Stone Age.
—Joel Achenbach, Washington Post, 7 Nov. 2022
Russia has become Europe’s Hobbesian nightmare.
—Joseph Loconte, National Review, 2 Apr. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Hobbesian.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near Hobbesian
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“Hobbesian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Hobbesian. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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