despotic

adjective
UK: /dɪˈspɒt.ɪk/
US: /dɪˈspɑː.t̬ɪk/

  1. A despotic person or organization is one that has total power and uses it in a cruel and unfair way.

    1. The despotic king ruled his people with an iron fist.
    2. The company was criticized for its despotic management style that stifled creativity.

Synonyms

autocratic tyrannical dictatorial authoritarian

Frequently Asked Questions

The phonetic transcription of "despotic" is /dɪˈspɒt.ɪk/ in British English and /dɪˈspɑː.t̬ɪk/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "despotic": autocratic, tyrannical, dictatorial, authoritarian.

Example usage of "despotic": "The despotic king ruled his people with an iron fist.". More examples on the page.