Feudalistic: meaning, definitions and examples

Used to describe a system, behavior, or structure that resembles or is reminiscent of feudalism, especially in a metaphorical or critical way.

• The company's management style is highly feudalistic, with a clear division of power and little room for employee input.
• The school’s outdated, feudalistic rules suppress student creativity.

Refers directly to the historical period known as feudalism, or anything literally from that era. It can also describe things that have a direct relationship to this historical system.

• The castle's architecture is a classic example of feudal design.
• Feudal society was structured around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labor.

Describes something that has been turned into or organized according to a feudal system, often as a result of historical or social evolution.

• The rural areas were feudalized by the invading forces, mimicking the structure of older feudal societies.
• Over time, the small kingdom became feudalized, with knights and serfs dominating the social landscape.