as in tyranny
a system of government in which the ruler has unlimited power
by the end of the 20th century many countries around the world had rejected despotism in favor of democracy
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Recent Examples of despotism
The strength and powers of despotism consist wholly in the fear of resisting it.
—
Ben Travers, IndieWire, 16 Nov. 2025
That’s authoritarian bluster of the sort heard in despotisms.
—Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 4 Oct. 2025
Rather than panicking over Moscow’s maneuverings or conditioning their own support on Syria’s total break with Russia, U.S. and European leaders should focus on helping Syrians recover after a decade of civil war and a half century of despotism.
—Hanna Notte, Foreign Affairs, 3 Oct. 2025
The Bashar Assad regime’s collapse inspired a wave of optimism about despotism turning into democracy.
—Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 26 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for despotism
Ben Travers, IndieWire, 16 Nov. 2025
That’s authoritarian bluster of the sort heard in despotisms.
—Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 4 Oct. 2025
Rather than panicking over Moscow’s maneuverings or conditioning their own support on Syria’s total break with Russia, U.S. and European leaders should focus on helping Syrians recover after a decade of civil war and a half century of despotism.
—Hanna Notte, Foreign Affairs, 3 Oct. 2025
The Bashar Assad regime’s collapse inspired a wave of optimism about despotism turning into democracy.
—Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 26 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for despotism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despotism
Noun
-
The new aircraft will challenge that tyranny with non-stop, point to point service between the largest cities in Australia and Great Britain.—
Michael Goldstein,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
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The vaunted ability of mass media to unify the globe here comes off as a benevolent form of tyranny, of a consensual unanimity in which the bearer of truth gains total attention, total acceptance, and total gratitude.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
16 June 2026
Noun
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Building tension gave way to war in 1982, when Argentina, then under a brutal dictatorship, sent a military expedition to the islands.—
Cesar R. Torres,
The Conversation,
17 June 2026
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Public anger over Chun’s dictatorship led to massive nationwide protests in 1987, forcing him to accept a constitutional revision introducing direct presidential elections, which is widely seen as the start of South Korea’s transition to democracy.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 June 2026
Noun
-
Antifa is short for anti-fascist or anti-fascism.—
Jeff Wagner,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
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The demonstration, which had been previously organized by a hodgepodge of activist groups after weeks of negotiations with local authorities, was otherwise peaceful — with environmentalists, women’s rights advocates, supporters of Palestinians and foes of imperialism, fascism and capitalism.—
Jamey Keaten,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
Noun
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The good ones who are trying to carefully transition a country from democracy to autocracy don't do it overnight.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 June 2026
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Once in office, Putin installed Vadim as an adviser to help consolidate his administration into an autocracy responsible for the suppression of civil liberties, for wars in Chechnya and Ukraine, and for a campaign of disinformation and interference in Western democracies.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Despotism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despotism. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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