as in harsh
formal + disapproving
unnecessarily strict or severe
The editorial criticizes the draconian measures being taken to control the spread of the disease. draconian punishments
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of draconian
The Taliban's violent suppression of criticism, along with draconian crackdowns on women's rights, meant journalists who stayed in Afghanistan were at constant risk of being detained, tortured, disappeared or killed.
—
Trisha Mukherjee, ABC News, 21 Nov. 2024
The parliament, which consists mostly of hardline extremists, has ratified a draconian bill on hijab, the headscarf and robes the Islamic Republic imposes on all women.
—Kay Armin Serjoie, TIME, 16 Dec. 2024
But after the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan devolved into quagmires, and amid an increasingly draconian security state and cascading failures at home — from Hurricane Katrina to the housing bubble — something shifted.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2024
American officials this summer tried a hardball negotiation tactic with allies by warning that the U.S. could directly curb the China sales of foreign companies, a step that Japan and the Netherlands viewed as a draconian overreach.
—Geoff Colvin, Fortune Asia, 28 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for draconian 
Trisha Mukherjee, ABC News, 21 Nov. 2024
The parliament, which consists mostly of hardline extremists, has ratified a draconian bill on hijab, the headscarf and robes the Islamic Republic imposes on all women.
—Kay Armin Serjoie, TIME, 16 Dec. 2024
But after the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan devolved into quagmires, and amid an increasingly draconian security state and cascading failures at home — from Hurricane Katrina to the housing bubble — something shifted.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2024
American officials this summer tried a hardball negotiation tactic with allies by warning that the U.S. could directly curb the China sales of foreign companies, a step that Japan and the Netherlands viewed as a draconian overreach.
—Geoff Colvin, Fortune Asia, 28 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for draconian
Recent Examples of Synonyms for draconian
Adjective
-
Florida threatens to lead the nation in state killings now because of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ new law, the nation’s harshest, allowing as few as eight of 12 jurors to recommend execution instead of a unanimous verdict.Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Boards, Orlando Sentinel, 11 Jan. 2025
-
Advocates and relatives describe harsh conditions in immigration detention.Dake Kang and Huizhong Wu, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
After decades of conflict with Beijing over discrimination and suppression of their cultural identity, the Chinese government launched a brutal crackdown on the Uyghurs that some Western governments deem a genocide.Dake Kang and Huizhong Wu, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2025
-
The elites got out of positions quickly, while retail investors were left twiddling their thumbs and absorbing brutal losses.Trent Hoerr, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
But on the other hand, the data so far suggests that Wolves have a ruthless finisher on their hands.Steve Madeley, The Athletic, 6 Jan. 2025
-
The headhunter without ethics is really the ruthless Kim Hye-jin, played by Park Bo-kyung.Joan MacDonald, Forbes, 4 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
But the backdrops are rendered with an oppressive prettiness that has a perverse cheapening effect.Alison Willmore, Vulture, 7 Jan. 2025
-
The total absence of shadow is an oppressive sensation, which engenders a feeling similar to that of claustrophobia.New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Shahana Goswami plays the lead role of a widow who lands the job of a cop due to life’s cruel twists.Sweta Kaushal, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
-
In a cruel irony, revelers had gathered to welcome a new beginning.Matthew Continetti, National Review, 4 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near draconian
Cite this Entry
“Draconian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/draconian. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share