despotic
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Derived 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.
Despotic regimes have their own way of holding rulers accountable.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 24, 2025
The spectacle spooled out like something straight out of theatrical drama or, perhaps more appropriately, a cheesy movie: Despotic ruler sinks deeper into madness as his nation falls apart around him.
From Washington Post • Aug. 12, 2021
Benjamin Franklin even went so far as to predict that “the people shall become so corrupted as to need Despotic Government, being incapable of any other.”
From Salon • Apr. 11, 2016
"Despotic: implies the arbitrary . . . exercise of absolute power."
From Time Magazine Archive
Despotic as he was and became, Bonaparte always called the other Consuls about him before proceeding with the most trivial measure.
From The Psychology of Revolution by Le Bon, Gustave
Definitions 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.
