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Hobbesian

American  
[hob-zee-uhn] / ˈhɒb zi ən /

noun

  1. a person who believes in or advocates the principles of Thomas Hobbes.


adjective

  1. of, relating to, or recalling the principles of Thomas Hobbes.

Etymology

Origin of Hobbesian

First recorded in 1770–80; Hobbes + -ian

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.

For one thing, in our newly Hobbesian international environment, not keeping pace in the race for wealth and technology means falling prey to those who do.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 3, 2026

In Hobbesian terms, life in a Fincher film tends to be solitary and poor, nasty and brutish, if not necessarily short.

From New York Times • Nov. 9, 2023

This Hobbesian pronouncement arrives deep into Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Poor Things,” the latest work from a filmmaker with a career-long interest in cruelty and beasts.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 1, 2023

The economy described in “Grime” has devolved into a Hobbesian hellscape of ever-more-humiliating gig jobs as everyone struggles to supplement the state’s universal basic income payment.

From Washington Post • Dec. 13, 2022

The Russian middle class is at a Hobbesian and primordial stage.

From Russian Roulette: Russia's Economy in Putin's Era by Vaknin, Samuel

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