despotic

adjective

des·​pot·​ic de-ˈspä-tik How to pronounce despotic (audio)
di-
: of, relating to, or characteristic of a despot
a despotic government
despotically adverb

Examples of despotic in a Sentence

a nation ruled by a series of despotic rulers, each seemingly worse than the last the despotic coach demands that his players obey him without question
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
But Valery, despite his lack of power in a despotic system, is able to help others, and finds a way to not just survive his pain but also live with its lasting effects. Vanessa Armstrong, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2025 Assad's fall is a globally resonant message that such despotic regimes cannot endure indefinitely. Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 31 Dec. 2024 What China needed was something like a final emperor, the breaker of the despotic chain who would summon modernity by fiat. Chang Che, The New Yorker, 21 Dec. 2024 Small steps toward normality are still sufficient, after decades of despotic rule that brought suffering to almost every household. Scott Peterson, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for despotic 

Word History

Etymology

see despot

First Known Use

1604, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of despotic was in 1604

Dictionary Entries Near despotic

Cite this Entry

“Despotic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/despotic. Accessed 24 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on despotic

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!