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
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Recent Examples of draconian
Mostly, investors have taken a more optimistic position that the final duties won’t be as draconian as those Trump initially proposed on April 2.
—
Jeff Cox, CNBC, 9 May 2025
From draconian punishments to loophole economies, here are some of the wackiest cannabis regulations found across the globe.
—Tribune Content Agency, Mercury News, 6 May 2025
Drawn out of his humble galley kitchen and into a world of diplomatic intrigue, Carême becomes a pawn in the cold war between Talleyrand, a Machiavellian schemer stabbing backs in the name of a newborn republic, and Fouché, a draconian lawman who mistrusts anything that moves.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 30 Apr. 2025
In his first 100 days as president, Trump has:
—Launched a draconian immigration crackdown, reviving and expanding family separation policies at the border, pushing mass deportations without due process, and targeting long-time visa-holding residents for removal.
—Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for draconian
Jeff Cox, CNBC, 9 May 2025
From draconian punishments to loophole economies, here are some of the wackiest cannabis regulations found across the globe.
—Tribune Content Agency, Mercury News, 6 May 2025
Drawn out of his humble galley kitchen and into a world of diplomatic intrigue, Carême becomes a pawn in the cold war between Talleyrand, a Machiavellian schemer stabbing backs in the name of a newborn republic, and Fouché, a draconian lawman who mistrusts anything that moves.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 30 Apr. 2025
In his first 100 days as president, Trump has:
—Launched a draconian immigration crackdown, reviving and expanding family separation policies at the border, pushing mass deportations without due process, and targeting long-time visa-holding residents for removal.
—Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for draconian
Recent Examples of Synonyms for draconian
Adjective
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Though Nicole reserves her harshest jabs for Jorgeous, the real heat is between Tina and Mistress.—
Chris Feil,
Vulture,
23 May 2025
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Padilla had harsh comments for the president and the GOP in a statement Thursday after the House vote.—
David Lightman,
Sacbee.com,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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Lori survives the brutal events of prom night, but not without a fight.—
Jane LaCroix,
People.com,
24 May 2025
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Amid the brutal cuts across the federal government under the Trump administration, perhaps one of the most gutting is the loss of experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who respond to lead poisoning in children.—
John Timmer,
ArsTechnica,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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Wes Anderson is talking about a surreal moment that occurs early in his latest film, The Phoenician Scheme, in which the protagonist, the ruthless international tycoon Zsa-Zsa Korda (Benicio del Toro), experiences a vision of the afterlife.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
18 May 2025
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Ralph Fiennes will play the ruthless Panem dictator in director Francis Lawrence‘s forthcoming film in the franchise, The Hollywood Reporter has learned exclusively.—
Ryan Gajewski,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2025
Adjective
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Contracts of adhesion are sometimes seen as oppressive, especially in the consumer context, but courts often regard them as enforceable.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
20 May 2025
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The United States held Qaddafi’s Libya up as a success story in the global war on terror, a former rogue state that had made amends for its murderous past, relinquished its nuclear-weapons program and reoriented its oppressive state apparatus around American foreign-policy priorities.—
Henry Leutwyler Robert Petkoff Emma Kehlbeck Quinton Kamara,
New York Times,
20 May 2025
Adjective
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Scheifele’s emotional and inspirational decision to play mere hours after his father’s unexpected death — to play for his dad, to play because of his dad — ended in cruel fashion, with Scheifele helpless in the penalty box.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
18 May 2025
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At first the program seems to be benign, but Hayakawa’s film steadily reveals how the policy thrives on the cruel capitalist tenet that people are disposable.—
Lovia Gyarkye,
HollywoodReporter,
17 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Draconian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/draconian. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.
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