Meaning & use

Orwellian

adjective·Academic

Last updated

describing a situation, especially one involving government control, that resembles the oppressive and deceptive world depicted in George Orwell's novels.

See it in a sentence

Critics called the constant surveillance cameras an Orwellian invasion of privacy.

The government's use of doublespeak to describe the crisis struck many as deeply Orwellian.

A note on using this word

Orwellian is capitalized because it derives from the author George Orwell, and it's typically used to criticize propaganda, surveillance, or manipulation of truth.

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