Orwellian
Say it: or-WEL-ee-un /ɔːˈwɛliən/ · adjective
What “Orwellian” means
Using constant watching and twisted truth to control people.
More precisely: Describing state surveillance, propaganda and control that distorts truth.
Example: “The app's Orwellian tracking of staff keystrokes caused an uproar.”
When to use it
In serious criticism of surveillance, propaganda or authorities that control people by manipulating what they can know.
Similar words
totalitarian, dystopian, Big Brother
Where it comes from
From George Orwell, author of Nineteen Eighty-Four.
Quick check
The government watches every home and replaces reports of food shortages with compulsory broadcasts claiming abundance. That system is…
Orwellian or authoritarian?
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Orwellian
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