dystopian
adjective
dys·to·pi·an
(ˌ)dis-ˈtō-pē-ən 
variants
or less commonly dystopic
: of, relating to, or being an imagined world or society in which people lead dehumanized, fearful lives : relating to or characteristic of a dystopia
A twisted romantic haunted by dystopian visions, Gibson borrows the language of science fiction and crafts doomed love stories with high-tech trappings.—
Maitland McDonagh
Maitland McDonaghDystopian visions are in a sense mythopoeic: depicting a creation myth in a future world of darkness and silence.—Sarah Lefanu
Sarah LefanuBiotechnology is a force for good, but without adherence to the ideal of universal human equality, it opens the door to the soft tyranny of Gattaca and, ultimately the dystopian nightmare of Brave New World.—Wesley J. Smith
Wesley J. SmithLike many advances in science and technology, the dystopian implications of data mining have been described best by science-fiction writers.—John Markoff
John Markoff… Orwellian has become a word itself: an adjective denoting a dystopic world where language is cut adrift from meaning.—Harvey A. Daniels
Harvey A. DanielsLetter by letter, we read of a society that seems to move from one dystopic nightmare to another …—Simon Winchester
Simon WinchesterExamples of dystopian in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The mesmerizing work immerses viewers in a dystopian underwater world, weaving together themes of technological transformation and environmental decay through the use of artificial intelligence and signifies a dynamic bridge between the past and the future.
—Joanne Shurvell, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
Instead, it is set in Russia, in a dystopian world where George W. Bush, in his sixth term as president, rallies NATO to invade the country.
—Meridith Kohut, New York Times, 28 May 2025
The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler This is a very good dystopian sci-fi novel that’s set in the near future and centers on a marine biologist who’s investigating mysterious oceanic activity in Vietnam.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 28 May 2025
After six seasons, Hulu’s adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s feminist dystopian novel aired its finale on May 26.
—Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for dystopian
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Joanne Shurvell, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
Instead, it is set in Russia, in a dystopian world where George W. Bush, in his sixth term as president, rallies NATO to invade the country.
—Meridith Kohut, New York Times, 28 May 2025
The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler This is a very good dystopian sci-fi novel that’s set in the near future and centers on a marine biologist who’s investigating mysterious oceanic activity in Vietnam.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 28 May 2025
After six seasons, Hulu’s adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s feminist dystopian novel aired its finale on May 26.
—Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for dystopian
Cite this Entry
“Dystopian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dystopian. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
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