Orwellian

American  

[awr-wel-ee-uhn] / ɔrˈwɛl i ən /

adjective

1. of, pertaining to, characteristic of, or resembling the literary work of George Orwell or the totalitarian future described in his antiutopian novel 1984 (1949).

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Etymology

Origin of Orwellian

1945–50; after G. Orwell ( def. ) + -ian

Example Sentences

In Leavitt’s usage, “transparency” has become a form of Orwellian “doublespeak,” a word or phrase which through the process of “doublethink” had come to encompass its exact opposite meaning.

From Salon

Two teenagers have already filed a case in the nation's highest court, alleging the law is unconstitutional and Orwellian.

From BBC

However, civil liberties campaign group Big Brother Watch branded the scheme "Orwellian" and urged MPs to reject plans.

From BBC

“It all seems pretty Orwellian,” said Kimbrough Moore, a rock climber and Yosemite National Park guide book author.

From Los Angeles Times

The phone had been programmed so that when a South Korean variant of a word is entered, it automatically vanishes, replaced with the North Korean equivalent - an Orwellian move.

From BBC