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
Reading, for me, was a huge escape, and given the rather draconian rules around TV in our house, a fantastic way to pass the time.
—
Literary Hub
september 4, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025
The bill also may require Democratic support in the Senate to overcome a filibuster, which may limit Republican lawmakers’ ability to impose draconian cuts.
—Adam S. Minsky, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Recently, the same law has been invoked against Pashtun rights advocates in Pakistan and celebrated Indian author Arundhati Roy, who now also faces terrorism charges under India's draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
—Stephen Townley, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
That being said, the news is filled with articles about schools in similar predicaments taking more draconian measures or even being forced to close.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for draconian
Literary Hub
september 4, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025
The bill also may require Democratic support in the Senate to overcome a filibuster, which may limit Republican lawmakers’ ability to impose draconian cuts.
—Adam S. Minsky, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Recently, the same law has been invoked against Pashtun rights advocates in Pakistan and celebrated Indian author Arundhati Roy, who now also faces terrorism charges under India's draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
—Stephen Townley, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
That being said, the news is filled with articles about schools in similar predicaments taking more draconian measures or even being forced to close.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for draconian
Recent Examples of Synonyms for draconian
Adjective
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The triumphant narrative began to fray when exceedingly harsh lockdown measures could no longer contain the spread of the virus, and the staggering human cost in the name of protecting lives defied all logic.—
Yangyang Cheng,
NPR,
4 Oct. 2025
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There are no easy fixes, so figuring out how to cushion the harsh impact will be the basis of negotiations with other parties in the Japanese legislature, the Diet.—
Jeff Kingston,
Time,
4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The scene, which was not in Stephenie Meyer's 2008 book that the movie was adapted from, raised eyebrows for its brutal killings of vampires Carlisle Cullen (Peter Facinelli) and Jasper Hale (Jackson Rathbone), as well as werewolves Seth (Booboo Stewart) and Leah Clearwater (Julia Jones).—
Jen Juneau,
PEOPLE,
2 Oct. 2025
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In a new era of Steven Knight’s Peaky Blinders, the race to own Birmingham’s massive reconstruction project becomes a brutal contest of mythical dimensions.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Their methods—ruthless melodic math, brazenly artificial production, and an odd soft spot for reggae rhythms—helped define the world-conquering sound of Britney Spears and Backstreet Boys.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
3 Oct. 2025
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To play someone whose world is so beautiful on the surface but whose secrets are ruthless has been an exhilarating challenge.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Global organization Human Rights Watch accused the festival of diverting attention away from allegations of the government’s severe repression of free speech and criticized comedians for performing on the behest of an oppressive regime.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
4 Oct. 2025
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The oppressive rule has led to nations cutting off aid, leading to one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.—
Reed Albergotti,
semafor.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
That’s actually the cruelest thing about them.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
3 Oct. 2025
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The cold on August 27, 2011, was unprecedented—unbridled, utterly cruel.—
Mariana Enriquez
October 2,
Literary Hub,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Draconian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/draconian. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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