as in tyranny
a system of government in which the ruler has unlimited power
in times of crisis, when a nation's people are frightened, there are often calls for totalitarianism
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Recent Examples of totalitarianism
American freedom was the antidote to the icy grip of totalitarianism, whether from Nazis or Communists.
—
Peter S. Canellos,
The Atlantic,
10 Apr. 2026
Jury President Wim Wenders praised the film for its portrait of life under totalitarianism saying the story would chime with and serve as a wakeup call for people all over the world.
—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
21 Feb. 2026
This was about stopping totalitarianism.
—
NBC news,
23 Nov. 2025
After Al Qaeda and then Saddam Hussein abruptly emerged as incarnations of a new totalitarianism, Michael Ignatieff and Niall Ferguson, among many others, impatiently urged the United States to assume its imperial obligations and impose democracy, human rights, and free trade through war.
—
Victor J. Blue,
Harpers Magazine,
23 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for totalitarianism
Peter S. Canellos,
The Atlantic,
10 Apr. 2026
Jury President Wim Wenders praised the film for its portrait of life under totalitarianism saying the story would chime with and serve as a wakeup call for people all over the world.
—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
21 Feb. 2026
This was about stopping totalitarianism.
—
NBC news,
23 Nov. 2025
After Al Qaeda and then Saddam Hussein abruptly emerged as incarnations of a new totalitarianism, Michael Ignatieff and Niall Ferguson, among many others, impatiently urged the United States to assume its imperial obligations and impose democracy, human rights, and free trade through war.
—
Victor J. Blue,
Harpers Magazine,
23 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for totalitarianism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for totalitarianism
Noun
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For every Founding Father looking to free the colonies from British tyranny, there was a Larry (often called Lawrence here) who suggests that sharing desserts and umbrellas should be prohibited by the Declaration of Independence.
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In Shiite communities, Ashoura is viewed as a symbol of struggle against injustice and tyranny.
Noun
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This book keeps my feet on the ground and my heart connected to the greater pulse suffering under late-stage capitalism and fascism.
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Through blood-curdling howls and rants about fascism, fraud, and fighting to understand your identity, Truck Violence push through ugliness to find something more unaltered and real.
Noun
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Building tension gave way to war in 1982, when Argentina, then under a brutal dictatorship, sent a military expedition to the islands.
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Public anger over Chun’s dictatorship led to massive nationwide protests in 1987, forcing him to accept a constitutional revision introducing direct presidential elections, which is widely seen as the start of South Korea’s transition to democracy.
Noun
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Rent it on most major platforms Forbidden to enter the stadium, several Iranian women sneak in dressed as men to watch a World Cup qualifying match in the master director Jafar Panahi’s movie about everyday defiance under authoritarianism.
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The handmaids’ crimson robes evolved into protest iconography around the world because the story captured fears about authoritarianism and gender more viscerally than overt political messaging ever could.
Cite this Entry
“Totalitarianism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/totalitarianism. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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