dystopia

American  

[dis-toh-pee-uh] / dɪsˈtoʊ pi ə /

noun

1. a society characterized by human misery, as squalor, oppression, disease, and overcrowding.

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dystopia British  

/ dɪsˈtəʊpɪə /

noun

1. an imaginary place where everything is as bad as it can be

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Other Word Forms

• dystopian adjective
• dystopianism noun

Etymology

Origin of dystopia

First recorded in 1865–70; dys- + (U)topia

Compare meaning

How does dystopia compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Utopia vs. dystopia

Example Sentences

There are a lot fewer neon-drenched skyscrapers and risqué robots than we were promised, but a quarter of the way through the 21st century, we are indeed essentially living inside a cyberpunk dystopia.

From Salon • Feb. 20, 2026

You might have read about the dystopia of super-polluted cities like Delhi, where the city always seems to be shrouded in dust, and you don’t see the sun for days.

From Slate • Feb. 12, 2026

Is this demographic seeing the Mad Max-style dystopia presented on their social media feeds and responding with this negative outlook?

From BBC • Jan. 17, 2026

We’re told that in this dystopia, whose currency features an image of Mr. Schwarzenegger, having only 65,000 “new dollars” puts you in the top 1%.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 13, 2025

It would become a corporate-run dystopia, an overpriced theme park for wealthy elitists.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

Related Words

• antiutopia
• cacotopia