dystopian
adjective
dys·to·pi·an
(ˌ)dis-ˈtō-pē-ən 
variants
or less commonly dystopic
: of, relating to, or being an imagined world or society in which people lead dehumanized, fearful lives : relating to or characteristic of a dystopia
a dystopian novel
A twisted romantic haunted by dystopian visions, Gibson borrows the language of science fiction and crafts doomed love stories with high-tech trappings.—
Maitland McDonagh
Maitland McDonaghDystopian visions are in a sense mythopoeic: depicting a creation myth in a future world of darkness and silence.—Sarah Lefanu
Sarah LefanuBiotechnology is a force for good, but without adherence to the ideal of universal human equality, it opens the door to the soft tyranny of Gattaca and, ultimately the dystopian nightmare of Brave New World.—Wesley J. Smith
Wesley J. SmithLike many advances in science and technology, the dystopian implications of data mining have been described best by science-fiction writers.—John Markoff
John Markoff… Orwellian has become a word itself: an adjective denoting a dystopic world where language is cut adrift from meaning.—Harvey A. Daniels
Harvey A. DanielsLetter by letter, we read of a society that seems to move from one dystopic nightmare to another …—Simon Winchester
Simon WinchesterExamples of dystopian in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In truth, the full bush conversation has been a welcome bit of body positivity in a beauty landscape which has often felt very bleak, if not downright dystopian.
—Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 23 Dec. 2025
Evita added, referencing Orwell, the author behind the dystopian speculative fiction novel, 1984, which has a focus on mass surveillance.
—Becca Longmire, PEOPLE, 19 Dec. 2025
In Edgar Wright’s adaptation of Stephen King's novel, Powell's Ben Richards is a father living in a dystopian society, unable to get a job and provide for his sick child.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 16 Dec. 2025
Unfortunately, the Potomac franchise does not exist in reality but instead is a mildly dystopian parallel universe commandeered by the chaotic whims of Big Sister General Gizelle Bryant; therefore, Angel being a general pill doesn’t suffice as a legitimate reason to take issue with her.
—Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 15 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dystopian
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Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 23 Dec. 2025
Evita added, referencing Orwell, the author behind the dystopian speculative fiction novel, 1984, which has a focus on mass surveillance.
—Becca Longmire, PEOPLE, 19 Dec. 2025
In Edgar Wright’s adaptation of Stephen King's novel, Powell's Ben Richards is a father living in a dystopian society, unable to get a job and provide for his sick child.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 16 Dec. 2025
Unfortunately, the Potomac franchise does not exist in reality but instead is a mildly dystopian parallel universe commandeered by the chaotic whims of Big Sister General Gizelle Bryant; therefore, Angel being a general pill doesn’t suffice as a legitimate reason to take issue with her.
—Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 15 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dystopian
Cite this Entry
“Dystopian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dystopian. Accessed 27 Dec. 2025.
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