despotic

adjective

de-ˈspä-tik How to pronounce despotic (audio)
Definition of despoticnext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of despotic Possibly to a way of life that not only survives many kinds of precarity—cruel weather, scanty income, a despotic army—but that even molds itself to them. — Samanth Subramanian, New Yorker, 2 May 2026 Hard to Be a God is about a planet that has not been allowed to advance beyond the Middle Ages, and descended into a filthy, despotic, and violent world. — James Folta, Literary Hub, 14 Apr. 2026 Remarkably, among the foremost critics of Cuba’s single-party despotic rule is one of Castro’s own daughters, Alina Fernández Revuelta. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 11 Apr. 2026 The monarchist movement has not governed Iran since 1979, and its corrupt, despotic leader was overthrown in the revolution. — Farah N. Jan, The Conversation, 10 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for despotic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despotic
  1. oppressive
  2. authoritarian
  3. arbitrary
  4. domineering
  5. autocratic
  6. arrogant
  7. tyrannical
  8. dictatorial
Adjective
  • This stretch of eastern Long Island has long been a respite for New Yorkers seeking a seaside reprieve from the oppressive heat.
    — Elise Taylor, Vogue, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Alongside health advice, state media has repeatedly returned to a familiar propaganda theme — Kim’s willingness to endure the same oppressive weather faced by ordinary North Koreans.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of oppressive
Adjective
  • The island’s very existence—a prosperous, democratic Chinese society integrated with the West—offers a stinging rebuke to the claim that authoritarian rule is uniquely suited to the Chinese people.
    — Charlie Campbell, Time, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The reason is that protesters fear that the Republic of Georgia will continue following an authoritarian path similar to Russia’s, crushing their hopes and dreams of being another Western-style democracy that is a member of NATO and the EU.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of authoritarian
Adjective
  • The Geneva Conventions, a set of treaties governing the conduct of warring parties, which were ratified in the aftermath of the Second World War, forbid the arbitrary detention of civilians.
    — Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
  • But many residents believed the resulting assessment calculations were arbitrary, according to Ben Glickman, vice chair of the LLAD advisory committee.
    — Haley Parsley August 9, Sacbee.com, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of arbitrary
Adjective
  • Will stars in the film as Phil Weston, an unremarkable family man who grew up under the thumb of his domineering dad, Buck (Robert Duvall).
    — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026
  • That’s a little too farcical for the moment, and the final cut lands more in a place of domineering intrigue.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 13 July 2026
Definition of domineering
Adjective
  • All of this is manna for autocratic leaders, who base much of their domestic propaganda on claims of Western weakness and hypocrisy.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 July 2026
  • My answer focuses on the role of autocratic political elites – that is, the party officials, military officers and other regime insiders who control the state.
    — José Kaire, The Conversation, 17 July 2026
Definition of autocratic
Adjective
  • The arrogant, brooding youth is gone almost entirely, and someone far more circumspect and humbled kneels before his older brother.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The Fight for the Soul of College Football, as the Hurricanes’ bold, brash and arrogant style transformed college football into something closer to theater.
    — Emile Nuh, CNN Money, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of arrogant
Adjective
  • Ayatollah Khomeini portrayed the shah as the tyrannical Yazid and himself as a Husayn-like figure returning from exile to save the Iranian people from injustice.
    — Iqbal Akhtar, The Conversation, 31 July 2026
  • The Hawaiians viewed the new rules as tyrannical; those with the disease were wont to hide in the hills of the islands, forever on the run.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026
Definition of tyrannical
Adjective
  • Ilham Aliyev continued his father’s dictatorial legacy, imprisoning his critics and enriching his family and cronies, while polishing his country’s image by hosting Formula One events and the Eurovision Song Contest.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 July 2026
  • As pointed out by Cox, Zagallo was only brought in as manager in the March of 1970 after his predecessor, Saldanha, had fallen out with Brazil’s dictatorial president Emilio Medici.
    — Will Jeanes, New York Times, 20 June 2026
Definition of dictatorial

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Cite this Entry

“Despotic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despotic. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of despotic for Spanish Speakers

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