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
Powell, who stars as a game-show contestant in a race to stay alive in Wright’s adaptation of Stephen King’s dystopian novel, had been tracking the frigid weather closely, all too aware of this upcoming scene.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 6 Nov. 2025
In Edgar Wright’s adaptation of the Stephen King novel, Ben Richards is a dad living in a dystopian society, unable to get a job and provide for his sick child.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
In Margaret Atwood’s chilling dystopian novel, The Handmaid’s Tale, the founders of the Republic of Gilead legislate a blanket prohibition on women’s employment and the seizure of their personal savings.
—Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2025
Billed as a dystopian thriller with elements of The Handmaid’s Tale and the ritualistic tension of Midsommar, the feature is lead produced by Spain’s AF Films.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dystopian
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Jordan Moreau, Variety, 6 Nov. 2025
In Edgar Wright’s adaptation of the Stephen King novel, Ben Richards is a dad living in a dystopian society, unable to get a job and provide for his sick child.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
In Margaret Atwood’s chilling dystopian novel, The Handmaid’s Tale, the founders of the Republic of Gilead legislate a blanket prohibition on women’s employment and the seizure of their personal savings.
—Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2025
Billed as a dystopian thriller with elements of The Handmaid’s Tale and the ritualistic tension of Midsommar, the feature is lead produced by Spain’s AF Films.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 6 Nov. 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 9 Nov. 2025.
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