Despotically means ruling or acting with complete, unchecked power in a cruel and oppressive way. When someone acts despotically, they make all the decisions themselves, ignore everyone else's opinions, and often treat people harshly or unfairly.

A king who governs despotically might throw people in prison for disagreeing with him, or force citizens to work without pay. A boss who manages despotically makes every decision alone, refuses to listen to employees, and punishes anyone who questions their choices.

You might see the word in history books describing tyrants who ruled despotically over their countries, caring only about their own power rather than their people's welfare. In everyday situations, someone might say a team captain acted despotically if she refused to listen to anyone's suggestions and got angry whenever someone offered a different idea.

The adverb despotically emphasizes the manner of the action: it describes wielding power in an arbitrary, heavy-handed way that disregards fairness and others' rights. Acting despotically turns leadership into domination.