despotic
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of despotic
1640–50; < French despotique < Greek despotikós. See despot, -ic
Explanation
A ruler who governs with an iron fist, caring little for the welfare of the people, can be called despotic. Dictators and tyrants are often described as despotic. Despotic is the adjective form of the noun despot, which means "tyrannical ruler." If you live under despotic rule, you probably have few rights and may fear your government. Use despotic to describe rulers that rely on brute force (or the threat of it) rather than the rule of law to keep order. Even if you're not the emperor of your own small kingdom, you might be a despotic boss, intimidating your employees. Might you consider switching to benevolence instead?
Vocabulary lists containing despotic
The Scarlet Letter
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Grade 11, List 6
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"Shooting an Elephant" by George Orwell
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
George Orwell’s “1984” famously presents constant government surveillance as science fiction, a step up from the persistent but not quite universal surveillance of despotic states such as the U.S.S.R.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026
For the entirety of “Avatar,” Aang’s loved ones and allies try to persuade him that the only way to stop the Fire Nation is to kill its despotic ruler, Lord Ozai.
From Salon ● Jul. 8, 2026
Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, and Francisco Franco had heir faces on stamps, currency, and coins during their respective despotic reigns.
From Slate ● Dec. 20, 2025
Chimpanzees comfort each other when in distress, despite typically being referred to as "violent" and "despotic" when compared to other apes.
From BBC ● Apr. 26, 2025
The chairs, the carpet, the tables—all had rotted away; they sagged in mutual ruin, victims of the despotic force of time.
From "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
