draconian

adjective

dra·co·ni·an drā-ˈkō-nē-ən

drə-

often capitalized

Synonyms of draconian next

law : of, relating to, or characteristic of Draco or the severe code of laws held to have been framed by him

: cruel

also : severe

draconian littering fines

Did you know?

Draconian comes from Draco, the name of a 7th-century B.C. Athenian legislator who created a written code of law. Draco's code was intended to clarify existing laws, but its severity is what made it really memorable. According to the code, even minor offenses were punishable by death, and failure to pay one's debts could result in slavery. Draconian, as a result, became associated with especially authoritative actions that are viewed as cruel or harsh.

Examples of draconian in a Sentence

The editorial criticizes the draconian measures being taken to control the spread of the disease.

Recent Examples on the Web Until now, even the most draconian immigration restrictions recognized that the federal government had the power to control entry to the U.S., as well as the power to enforce federal immigration laws. —

TIME, 5 Apr. 2024 So any policy of theirs is going to be even more draconian than separating children from their parents, for example. —

Albinson Linares, NBC News, 3 Apr. 2024 With few effective policy options and an unwilling negotiator in Beijing, Western governments in particular will consider increasingly draconian restrictions on Chinese trade. —

Daniel H. Rosen, Foreign Affairs, 27 Mar. 2024 In that light, the draconian sentence is punishment not only for a crime but also for shining a spotlight on decades of embarrassing failures, ones that were made clear to the entire country the day that Özer disappeared. —

Leif Wenar, WIRED, 2 Apr. 2024 Police have quelled peaceful protests and thrown activists and dissidents into jail using draconian anti-terrorism laws. —

Astha Rajvanshi, TIME, 2 Apr. 2024 Hong Kong lawmakers have fast-tracked and passed a new security law, expanding on the already vague, draconian and wide-ranging penalties that have silenced almost all forms of public dissent and transformed institutions in the Asian financial hub. —

Lily Kuo, Washington Post, 19 Mar. 2024 President Joe Biden returned to Texas the same day a draconian immigration law was blocked from enforcement. —

USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2024 Despite these draconian consequences, the evidence is clear that the Creighton District is violating the will of the voters by using dual language programs. —

Daniel Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 20 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'draconian.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.