dystopian
Americanadjective
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resembling or relating to a dystopia.
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causing or characterized by an extreme amount of misery.
noun
Explanation
"Utopian" describes a society that's conceived to be perfect. Dystopian is the exact opposite — it describes an imaginary society that is as dehumanizing and as unpleasant as possible. George Orwell's "Animal Farm," for example, describes a dystopian society in which Napoleon, a pig, represents Joseph Stalin in a farmyard satire on Stalinist Russia and how power corrupts. Other famous dystopian authors include Aldous Huxley, Kurt Vonnegut, and Ray Bradbury. The adjective dystopian describes anything that pertains to or resembles a society such as those described in this sort of literature.
Vocabulary lists containing dystopian
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Charming as Verb
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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.
In these dystopian times, when realism is more important than ever, it’s a grave mistake to let rose-colored glasses distort our vision, or to substitute unmerited patience for vital urgency.
From Salon • Apr. 20, 2026
An animated series based on the popular “Mafalda” comics, a dystopian miniseries based on a Philip K. Dick novel and a Fito Páez documentary are all on the way.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026
“It feels a bit dystopian to have AIs run your life, but right now it’s really fun to experiment with,” Merk says.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 28, 2026
He struck a cautiously optimistic note on the creative industry's direction, dismissing the most dystopian predictions.
From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026
“You know, sometimes it does feel like we’re in one of those trendy dystopian novels,” she admitted.
From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro
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.
