despotic

adjective

des·​pot·​ic de-ˈspä-tik How to pronounce despotic (audio)
di-
Synonyms of despoticnext
: of, relating to, or characteristic of a despot
a despotic government
despotically adverb

Examples of despotic in a Sentence

a nation ruled by a series of despotic rulers, each seemingly worse than the last the despotic coach demands that his players obey him without question
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.
The Academy rules work for countries with democratic governments but not for countries with despotic regimes. Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 4 May 2026 Hard to Be a God is about a planet that has not been allowed to advance beyond the Middle Ages, and descended into a filthy, despotic, and violent world. James Folta, Literary Hub, 14 Apr. 2026 Remarkably, among the foremost critics of Cuba’s single-party despotic rule is one of Castro’s own daughters, Alina Fernández Revuelta. Matthew Carey, Deadline, 11 Apr. 2026 The monarchist movement has not governed Iran since 1979, and its corrupt, despotic leader was overthrown in the revolution. Farah N. Jan, The Conversation, 10 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for despotic

Word History

Etymology

see despot

First Known Use

1604, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of despotic was in 1604

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Cite this Entry

“Despotic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/despotic. Accessed 14 May. 2026.

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