Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

dystopian

American  
[dis-toh-pee-uhn] / dɪsˈtoʊ pi ən /

adjective

  1. resembling or relating to a dystopia.

  2. causing or characterized by an extreme amount of misery.

noun

  1. a person who lives in, describes, or advocates for a dystopia.

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.

Broadcast with an announcement of the release of the Apple computer, it was more than a little inspired by George Orwell's dystopian novel named for the year.

From Barron's • Mar. 29, 2026

The backlash on social media was harsh, with many viewers calling the gimmick crass, disrespectful to the nominees and even dystopian.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

Later on, in middle and high school, I became obsessed with other dystopian fiction books: Divergent, Matched, Uglies, and the like.

From Slate • Mar. 8, 2026

Aswath Damodaran, the so-called ‘dean of valuation,’ said a popular characterization of a dystopian AI future of displacement and disruption was implausible.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 5, 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.