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
Picking your form of government used to feel like an existential choice, but now despotism and oligarchy are hardly differentiated.
—
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2025
Western governments have burdened Georgia with a special status as a democracy-in-the-making in a region otherwise beset by despotism.
—Christian Caryl, Foreign Affairs, 26 Dec. 2024
The threat of despotism went away temporarily.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 4 Aug. 2024
The necessity of power sharing also meant that Congress could provide a check against despotism even if the same party held the Presidency and a majority in both houses.
—David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for despotism
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2025
Western governments have burdened Georgia with a special status as a democracy-in-the-making in a region otherwise beset by despotism.
—Christian Caryl, Foreign Affairs, 26 Dec. 2024
The threat of despotism went away temporarily.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 4 Aug. 2024
The necessity of power sharing also meant that Congress could provide a check against despotism even if the same party held the Presidency and a majority in both houses.
—David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for despotism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despotism
Noun
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The guitar, by transitive property, broke down racial and class barriers, fought tyranny, freed up minds and bodies.—
Nick Paumgarten,
New Yorker,
19 May 2025
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The Founding Fathers, having witnessed the abuses of centralized power under British rule, embedded this model into the Constitution to ensure a system of checks and balances, where each branch could limit the powers of the others, safeguarding against tyranny and upholding the rule of law.—
Andy J. Semotiuk,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2025
Noun
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For instance, during Rafael Trujillo’s dictatorship in the Dominican Republic from 1930 to 1961, the head of intelligence, Johnny Abbes, was plucked from obscurity in Mexico and in 1958 began to lead the dictator’s repression machine.—
Erica Frantz,
The Conversation,
16 May 2025
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In the Soviet dictatorship, this was meant literally: engineers and senior managers in charge of color film production would be denounced, arrested, and executed during the Great Purges of 1937–1838.—
Matthew Wills,
JSTOR Daily,
15 May 2025
Noun
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They are caught up by the logics of war and autocracy.—
Ritesh Mehta,
IndieWire,
16 May 2025
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There is certainly a connection between autocracy and corruption.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
16 May 2025
Noun
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Andor is an amazing work of art, not just as a Star Wars show but as an overall series with incredible writing, acting, production values and a relevant take on the rise of fascism.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2025
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The long arm of fascism has stretched all the way to this year’s Cannes Film Festival, where, quite suddenly, nobody is allowed to be naked on the red carpet anymore.—
Rachel Handler,
Vulture,
13 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Despotism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despotism. Accessed 27 May. 2025.
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