despotic
adjective
des·pot·ic
de-ˈspä-tik 
di-
: of, relating to, or characteristic of a despot
a despotic government
Synonyms
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
My father came from Iraq, where occupation, American meddling and despotic leadership were the norm in his lifetime.
—
Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024
The point of helping Ukraine defend itself against its despotic foe — like the point of defending Israel, or Taiwan, or NATO members rich or poor — isn’t altruism.
—Bret Stephens, The Mercury News, 17 Feb. 2024
That includes efforts to undermine democracy by anyone with designs on despotic rule.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 13 Jan. 2024
Tiberius, who is remembered as a despotic recluse, spent the last 10 years of his reign living on Capri.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 12 Feb. 2024
Eventually, Bach’s little Eden will suffer violent incursions and he, unlike these despotic overlords, will come to accept the fact that lofty goals can be tragically vulnerable and disastrously easy to undermine.
—Alida Becker, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2024
Following the origin story of Coriolanus Snow, the despotic leader of Panem, the new film—which premiered November 17—promises danger, drama, and an alternate universe to look toward for inspiration.
—Abby Wilson, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Nov. 2023
In the late eighteenth century, liberal thinkers worried about the despotic state and religious and revolutionary fanaticism and sought freedom through constitutions and bills of rights.
—Alan S. Kahan, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2023
In destructive hands, fashion is despotic, historically and scientifically inaccurate, manufacturing massive uniformity and immuring imaginations.
—Killian Wright-Jackson, Essence, 1 Dec. 2023
Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024
The point of helping Ukraine defend itself against its despotic foe — like the point of defending Israel, or Taiwan, or NATO members rich or poor — isn’t altruism.
—Bret Stephens, The Mercury News, 17 Feb. 2024
That includes efforts to undermine democracy by anyone with designs on despotic rule.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 13 Jan. 2024
Tiberius, who is remembered as a despotic recluse, spent the last 10 years of his reign living on Capri.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 12 Feb. 2024
Eventually, Bach’s little Eden will suffer violent incursions and he, unlike these despotic overlords, will come to accept the fact that lofty goals can be tragically vulnerable and disastrously easy to undermine.
—Alida Becker, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2024
Following the origin story of Coriolanus Snow, the despotic leader of Panem, the new film—which premiered November 17—promises danger, drama, and an alternate universe to look toward for inspiration.
—Abby Wilson, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Nov. 2023
In the late eighteenth century, liberal thinkers worried about the despotic state and religious and revolutionary fanaticism and sought freedom through constitutions and bills of rights.
—Alan S. Kahan, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2023
In destructive hands, fashion is despotic, historically and scientifically inaccurate, manufacturing massive uniformity and immuring imaginations.
—Killian Wright-Jackson, Essence, 1 Dec. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'despotic.' 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 despotic
Cite this Entry
“Despotic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/despotic. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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