Synonyms for despotic
- adjective
Most common
All synonyms
Adjective
1. Tyrannical
tyrannical, autocratic, dictatorial, authoritarian, oppressive, monarchical, domineering, arrogant, absolute, imperious, heavy-handed, arbitrary, bossy, lordly, peremptory, magisterial, masterly, overbearing, authoritative, masterful, tyrannous, tyrannic dated
Other
Definitions
- adj. 1
Of or pertaining to a despot or tyrant.
This despotic age of the empire ended in a revolt.
Related words
- Word family
- despot despotate despotical despotically despotism
Choose the right word
Despotic is commonly applied to a masterful or severe use of power, which is expressed more decidedly by tyrannical.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- authoritarian State Capitalism could be democratic or authoritarian.
- tyrannical They dreamed of overthrowing their tyrannical overlord.
- dictatorial Bouteflika granted himself dictatorial powers.
- autocratic I recalled her as an energetic, autocratic personality.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| despotic | steady | |
| authoritarian | rising | |
| tyrannical | steady | |
| dictatorial | steady | |
| autocratic | steady | |
| despotical | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 5 letters
- bossy2
- 6 letters
- lordly2
- 8 letters
- absolute3, arrogant3, masterly3, tyrannic
- 9 letters
- arbitrary4, masterful3, imperious4, tyrannous
- 10 letters
- oppressive3, tyrannical4, autocratic4, peremptory4, despotical
- 11 letters
- dictatorial5, overbearing4, domineering4, magisterial5, monarchical
- 13 letters
- authoritarian6, authoritative5
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (bossy2 = 2 syllables).
In other languages
- Français
- despotique
- Italiano
- dispotico
- Español
- despótico
- Deutsch
- despotisch