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Draconian comes from Drakōn, the name (later Latinized as Draco) of a 7th-century B.C. Athenian legislator who created a written code of law. Drakōn’s code was intended to clarify existing laws, but its severity is what made it really memorable. According to the code, even minor offenses were punishable by death, and failure to pay one's debts could result in slavery. Draconian, as a result, is used especially for authoritative actions that are viewed as cruel or harsh.
Examples of draconian in a Sentence
The editorial criticizes the draconian measures being taken to control the spread of the disease.
Recent Examples on the Web
The city has enacted a more aggressive policy stance to limit the impacts of tent and vehicle encampments — panned as draconian by some advocates — in conjunction with its heavy investment in interim housing solutions.
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Devan Patel, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
But with no funding bill poised to pass both chambers, some lawmakers are concerned that the White House’s Office of Management and Budget — or OMB, which is in charge of enforcing budget priorities across federal agencies — may move forward with attempts to implement more draconian cuts.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
Worse, some have swung to the opposite extreme, taking draconian stands on employee communications.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 16 Sep. 2025
Little wonder authoritarian states were spurred by the Arab Spring into enacting draconian internet controls.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for draconian
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Devan Patel, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
But with no funding bill poised to pass both chambers, some lawmakers are concerned that the White House’s Office of Management and Budget — or OMB, which is in charge of enforcing budget priorities across federal agencies — may move forward with attempts to implement more draconian cuts.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
Worse, some have swung to the opposite extreme, taking draconian stands on employee communications.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 16 Sep. 2025
Little wonder authoritarian states were spurred by the Arab Spring into enacting draconian internet controls.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for draconian
Cite this Entry
“Draconian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/draconian. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
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