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
The fantasy series follows a dystopian world where Violet Sorrengail trains to become an elite dragon rider at a competitive war college.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 1 May 2025
Without such careful consideration, Goldman predicts a dystopian future prompted by age verification laws.
—ArsTechnica, 30 Apr. 2025
In a speech dripping with cynicism, Cheyenne mourns for the dying arts and the dystopian future that awaits future generations, placing the blame on everyone in the room, but specifically the man whose name has been newly added to the theater.
—Oliver Sava, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2025
Rather than the dystopian visions that dominated Hollywood, reality offers us a different choice: to shape AI as a partner in building a more peaceful, sustainable and human-centered world.
—Federico Sendra, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dystopian
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Jenna Ryu, SELF, 1 May 2025
Without such careful consideration, Goldman predicts a dystopian future prompted by age verification laws.
—ArsTechnica, 30 Apr. 2025
In a speech dripping with cynicism, Cheyenne mourns for the dying arts and the dystopian future that awaits future generations, placing the blame on everyone in the room, but specifically the man whose name has been newly added to the theater.
—Oliver Sava, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2025
Rather than the dystopian visions that dominated Hollywood, reality offers us a different choice: to shape AI as a partner in building a more peaceful, sustainable and human-centered world.
—Federico Sendra, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 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 15 May. 2025.
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