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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of totalitarianism
Soviet communism represented left-wing totalitarianism, while Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy represented right-wing totalitarianism.
—
Mark Satta, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2025
Brzezinski would dedicate his academic and professional life to studying and undermining the forces of totalitarianism and authoritarianism that had overtaken his homeland during his childhood.
—Niall Ferguson, Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2025
In the time between the 1933 and 1934 congress, Germany had moved even further into Nazi totalitarianism.
—Kamila Shamsie
june 20, Literary Hub, 20 June 2025
George Orwell himself has gone in and out of favor over the revisionist years, but the British author’s searing insights into empire and power and totalitarianism have never lost relevance.
—Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for totalitarianism
Mark Satta, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2025
Brzezinski would dedicate his academic and professional life to studying and undermining the forces of totalitarianism and authoritarianism that had overtaken his homeland during his childhood.
—Niall Ferguson, Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2025
In the time between the 1933 and 1934 congress, Germany had moved even further into Nazi totalitarianism.
—Kamila Shamsie
june 20, Literary Hub, 20 June 2025
George Orwell himself has gone in and out of favor over the revisionist years, but the British author’s searing insights into empire and power and totalitarianism have never lost relevance.
—Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for totalitarianism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for totalitarianism
Noun
-
Andrew Garfield leads the feature that is now in production, portraying the leader of a ferocious rebellion against the tyranny of King Richard II.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Oct. 2025
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Many of the newer immigrants are people who fled socialist tyranny in Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela and were given work permits and temporary protection from deportation.—
Sal Rodriguez,
Oc Register,
18 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The surest defense against soft fascism is presence—to show up, visibly, and refuse the framing.—
Alexis Coe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Oct. 2025
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Wyeth had taken several photos of a woman wearing three layers of denim vests, all filled with pins and slogans against fascism, against patriarchy, against the pipeline, against the former rapist in chief, against starving children, against book bans, against transphobes.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Written and directed by Pérez Rial, the film reconstructs the exile of Sosa, who was arrested during a 1978 concert in La Plata and later forced to flee Argentina’s dictatorship.—
Emiliano De Pablos,
Variety,
20 Oct. 2025
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Caesar's Legion is a straight-up totalitarian dictatorship of LARPers playing Romans.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
19 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
What about the neuroscience of authoritarianism?—
Big Think,
Big Think,
18 Oct. 2025
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Protesters expressed concerns about authoritarianism, the future of the country and Project 2025.—
Erin Glynn,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
18 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Totalitarianism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/totalitarianism. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
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