DRACONIAN Synonyms: 67 Similar and Opposite Words

draconian

adjective

Definition of draconian

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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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 draconian In a basement in a quiet corner of Kabul, CBS News was granted rare access this week to a secret school where teen girls dare to continue their education in defiance of a draconian Taliban regime — girls who want their voices to be heard. — Imtiaz Tyab, CBS News, 9 Sep. 2026 But draconian mandates and screenless classes can’t be the only ways that colleges deal with AI. — Sian Leah Beilock, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2026 Under the Taliban’s draconian interpretation of sharia, watching movies, playing chess, singing, and playing or listening to music are all banned. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 31 Aug. 2026 That could spark draconian cuts to how much drinking water is available for millions of people and imperil farms 500 miles away in California's Imperial Valley. — Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for draconian

Recent Examples of Synonyms for draconian

Adjective

However, perovskites are notoriously vulnerable to moisture and harsh chemical environments, posing a clear problem in seawater.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2026
With another harsh winter approaching, those still there face death from hunger or disease.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of harsh

Adjective

This version, though, is brutal, his voice acerbic and his guitar serrated.

— Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 7 Nov. 2026
And through eight games this season, those two words have defined the majority of the third-year wing’s experience on the court for the Chicago Bulls, who are 1-7 after a brutal trio of road losses in the last week.

— Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of brutal

Adjective

Returning home with the glittering medal draped on his neck, Cassius is lauded but also thrust right back into the oppressive, segregated and deeply racist Louisville.

— Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 4 Nov. 2026
Where individual agency is always primary, the customer is always right and authority is generally considered oppressive.

— Kristian Vistrup Madsen, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of oppressive

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drabs

draconian

draconic

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Style

“Draconian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/draconian. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of draconian

adjective

Example Sentences

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