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 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
Strahovski is coming off the buzziest role of her career, having earned Emmy and Golden Globe noms for playing Serena Joy Waterford, wife of Gilead’s Commander Fred Waterford, in The Handmaid’s Tale, an adaptation of the dystopian novel by Margaret Atwood.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 22 Sep. 2025
All of this points toward a dystopian future where late-night comedians are banned because no one is allowed to poke fun at the president, regardless of who is in office.
—Jesse Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Sep. 2025
In an era where global conflict, political division, and cultural anxieties can make life feel like a dystopian, Orwellian novel, art has the power to offer both sharp commentary and joyful escape.
—Lee Sharrock, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Bong Joon Ho’s unique story-telling talents were first revealed to the world via the Busan International Film Festival’s New Currents award, some 12 years before the Korean filmmaker’s dark and dystopian drama Parasite picked up four Oscars and became a global box office sensation.
—Mathew Scott, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dystopian
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Matt Grobar, Deadline, 22 Sep. 2025
All of this points toward a dystopian future where late-night comedians are banned because no one is allowed to poke fun at the president, regardless of who is in office.
—Jesse Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Sep. 2025
In an era where global conflict, political division, and cultural anxieties can make life feel like a dystopian, Orwellian novel, art has the power to offer both sharp commentary and joyful escape.
—Lee Sharrock, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Bong Joon Ho’s unique story-telling talents were first revealed to the world via the Busan International Film Festival’s New Currents award, some 12 years before the Korean filmmaker’s dark and dystopian drama Parasite picked up four Oscars and became a global box office sensation.
—Mathew Scott, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 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 30 Sep. 2025.
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