as in harsh
formal + disapproving
unnecessarily strict or severe
The editorial criticizes the draconian measures being taken to control the spread of the disease. draconian punishments
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Recent Examples of draconian
In a drive to move Germany toward economic self-sufficiency, Hitler had imposed draconian tariffs, refused to honor foreign-debt obligations, and sought to wean the nation off Norwegian whale-oil consumption.
—
Timothy W. Ryback, The Atlantic, 19 Feb. 2026
The government hadn’t yet adopted all of these broad, new draconian detention rules.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2026
Banned from nearly all jobs by the Taliban government’s draconian restrictions on women, widows with children are especially vulnerable.
—ABC News, 18 Feb. 2026
His is the most high-profile of a series of arrests and imprisonments under a draconian National Security Law imposed by Beijing.
—Andy Browne, semafor.com, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for draconian
Timothy W. Ryback, The Atlantic, 19 Feb. 2026
The government hadn’t yet adopted all of these broad, new draconian detention rules.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2026
Banned from nearly all jobs by the Taliban government’s draconian restrictions on women, widows with children are especially vulnerable.
—ABC News, 18 Feb. 2026
His is the most high-profile of a series of arrests and imprisonments under a draconian National Security Law imposed by Beijing.
—Andy Browne, semafor.com, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for draconian
Recent Examples of Synonyms for draconian
Adjective
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Engineers have long searched for efficient electric alternatives that can survive the harsh conditions inside industrial systems.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Mar. 2026
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Critics say the danger faced by agents whose names are made public is overblown, almost always limited to harsh and violent words lobbed from behind a laptop or phone screen.—
James Queally,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The Ayatollah ruled as a brutal dictator, killing and torturing his own people, imposing harsh restrictions on basic freedoms, and put the lives of our troops and global allies constantly at risk.—
Derek Tran,
Oc Register,
6 Mar. 2026
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Some shows would even include sound effects for a stabbing in a reenactment of a brutal murder.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Lydia, naturally, has her own reasons for pairing Agnes and Daisy together, evolving from a ruthless zealot and disciplinarian in Handmaid’s Tale into a kind of double agent looking to overthrow Gilead from within the hallowed halls of power in Testaments, as the finale set her up to do.—
Max Gao,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Mar. 2026
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After enduring a tough patch in business, fate changes his course, turning him into El Serpiente, a ruthless political strategist.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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There is something oppressive about being tied into everything all the time.—
Benjamin Svetkey,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Mar. 2026
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Iran is a bad actor and oppressive state that has suppressed its people and supported terrorism around the world.—
Kaitlyn Schallhorn,
Oc Register,
28 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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That’s the cruel beauty of golf.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Mar. 2026
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Few Iranians will mourn the demise of the cruel and murderous Ayatollah Khamenei or his cohorts, and a large segment of Iranians want the corrupt religious regime gone.—
Trudy Rubin,
Twin Cities,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Draconian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/draconian. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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