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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of draconian
Scientists have described the cuts to indirect costs as draconian and something that would almost certainly stymie research efforts on diseases and for basic science that could lead to new discoveries.
—
Evan Bush, NBC News, 10 Feb. 2025
Residents called it a draconian overreach that would make their home unsightly and bring down property values.
—Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 18 Jan. 2025
As can be expected, a love story and revolution comes to life amid the draconian circumstances.
—Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 13 Feb. 2025
This can become a problem because the NBA employs a draconian set of rules surrounding trades, often turning the process of swapping a few players into the equivalent of sorting out a 1,000-piece puzzle set strewn across a table.
—Jordan Sargent, The Atlantic, 6 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for draconian
Evan Bush, NBC News, 10 Feb. 2025
Residents called it a draconian overreach that would make their home unsightly and bring down property values.
—Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 18 Jan. 2025
As can be expected, a love story and revolution comes to life amid the draconian circumstances.
—Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 13 Feb. 2025
This can become a problem because the NBA employs a draconian set of rules surrounding trades, often turning the process of swapping a few players into the equivalent of sorting out a 1,000-piece puzzle set strewn across a table.
—Jordan Sargent, The Atlantic, 6 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for draconian
Recent Examples of Synonyms for draconian
Adjective
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Unlike Western cleansers, which often rely on harsh surfactants or astringent ingredients, Korean ones maintain the skin’s moisture barrier and natural pH balance, says Cho.—
Denise Primbet,
Glamour,
28 Feb. 2025
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The 79-year-old Oscar winner embraces the challenging role of the Dutton family matriarch alongside co-star Harrison Ford, confronting everything from mountain lions to the harsh realities of frontier life.—
Holly Williams,
CBS News,
28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The occasional injury is unavoidable in a tournament where the intensity is this high, but that doesn’t make the outcome any less brutal for Theodore and the Golden Knights. 4.—
Sean McIndoe,
The Athletic,
17 Feb. 2025
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While mourning the loss of their child, Marcus discovers that Ammara’s younger brother Chet, a promising Muay Thai boxer, owes money to a local crime boss — forcing him to participate in a series of brutal underground fights orchestrated by charismatic Nigerian gangster Tiga (Hounsou).—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Yet in 2016-17, free from midweek continental trips, Conte’s side stormed to the title with 93 points, spearheaded by a ruthless Diego Costa.—
Conor O'Neill,
The Athletic,
21 Feb. 2025
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Rendezvous Views The Island has been infused with an abundance of Bars, and now every opportunist is out to hit the jackpot including the ruthless crime kingpin Fletcher Kane.—
Tom Rogers,
Newsweek,
21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Currently, asylum seekers who committed crimes seen as political in nature—i.e. toward an oppressive regime—could be granted asylum, as could those guilty of misdemeanors.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
14 Feb. 2025
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But the show pulls back just enough on the oppressive horror vibes of Season Two without losing a perpetual sense of unease from those scenes.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Even then, the final late twist with the penalty felt particularly cruel.—
Patrick Boyland,
The Athletic,
23 Feb. 2025
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Directed by Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland, Still Alice highlights the cruel nature of the illness, where a person can still feel present while simultaneously losing pieces of themselves, creating a unique kind of grief.—
Travis Bean,
Forbes,
22 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Draconian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/draconian. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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