1
as in oppressive
exercising power or authority without interference by others
a nation ruled by a series of despotic rulers, each seemingly worse than the last
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in authoritarian
fond of ordering people around
the despotic coach demands that his players obey him without question
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of despotic
The Holocaust was planned and fomented in secrecy by a despotic regime.
—
Victor J. Blue, Harpers Magazine, 23 Nov. 2025
Trump brushed aside past criticism from Mamdani—including claims the administration’s deportation tactics were despotic—quipping that holding executive office forces officials to evolve.
—Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025
Especially right now, when most of whatever happens next would seem to be determined by arbitrary and despotic centers of earthly power.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 7 Oct. 2025
This is how legal systems in despotic regimes operate.
—Andrew Binns, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for despotic
Victor J. Blue, Harpers Magazine, 23 Nov. 2025
Trump brushed aside past criticism from Mamdani—including claims the administration’s deportation tactics were despotic—quipping that holding executive office forces officials to evolve.
—Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025
Especially right now, when most of whatever happens next would seem to be determined by arbitrary and despotic centers of earthly power.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 7 Oct. 2025
This is how legal systems in despotic regimes operate.
—Andrew Binns, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for despotic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despotic
Adjective
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Enoch confronts the celestial hosts, all wearing capes of swastika red under an oppressive horizon of jutting lightning and glaring orange mountains.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
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The film adapts Xianzhe Xu’s comic series and unfolds during China’s Sui Dynasty under Emperor Yang Guang’s oppressive reign.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Bin Salman, known informally as MBS, is Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler and has been criticized for having a similar authoritarian leadership style.—
Josh Meyer,
USA Today,
24 Jan. 2026
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Yesterday, more than 50,000 Minneapolis residents joined a peaceful general strike against this authoritarian overreach.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The memorandum filed Monday argues the court should not adopt the deferential standard of arbitrary or capricious.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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The judge also said the administration’s decision had been arbitrary and capricious, given its failure to consider Vineyard Wind’s interest in having the project continue on its schedule to a March completion.—
Mark Chediak,
Bloomberg,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Since determining whether someone is domineering is subjective and could vary based on different perspectives, that statement is unlikely to qualify as defamation.—
Taylor Seely,
AZCentral.com,
16 Jan. 2026
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Set in medieval England, Anne (Turner) is torn between her domineering live-in mother-in-law Morwen (Marcia Gay Harden) and a new love interest, Jago (Harington).—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
15 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Iran's autocratic regime has quashed several previous waves of unrest, violently, and the source in Tehran told CBS News there was significant fear among many people that the current protests would draw a similar draconian crackdown.—
Tucker Reals,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
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Javier Corrales, an expert on Venezuelan politics, tells Isaac Chotiner about the autocratic methods that Maduro used to maintain power, and what might happen to the regime in his absence.—
Ian Crouch,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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In the early years of his fame as a writer, Rushdie had something of a reputation for being prickly and arrogant, but Gibney’s portrait reveals a man mellowed by time and experience.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Jan. 2026
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Spock is this brilliant, arrogant, aloof-to-the-point-of-obnoxiousness genius.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
18 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The book examines the worst acts of autocrats and tyrannical leaders dating back centuries.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
27 Jan. 2026
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As for a change in power in the upcoming midterm elections, this can only happen if they are held and not stopped by the invasion of our cities, in an obvious attempt at tyrannical control.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Maduro made it to the Presidency because of a decision by Hugo Chávez, a very popular and populist President who became semi-dictatorial.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
5 Jan. 2026
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International election watchdogs, including the United States, say Maduro manipulated the ballot results in order to steal a third term in office and continue his dictatorial reign.—
Alana Wise,
NPR,
3 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Despotic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despotic. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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