authoritarian
adjective
au·thor·i·tar·i·an
ȯ-ˌthȯr-ə-ˈter-ē-ən 
ə-,
-ˌthär-
1
: of, relating to, or favoring blind submission to authority
had authoritarian parents
2
: of, relating to, or favoring a concentration of power in a leader or an elite not constitutionally responsible to the people
an authoritarian regime
authoritarian
noun
Synonyms
Examples of authoritarian in a Sentence
grew up with an authoritarian older sister who thought she was queen of the world
an authoritarian coach who runs football practice like it's boot camp
Recent Examples on the Web
The vast majority of the migrants came from Venezuela, which has seen millions of its citizens flee in recent years to escape a widespread economic crisis and authoritarian rule.
—
S. Dev, CBS News, 11 June 2024
Putin’s Succession Conundrum Putin and authoritarian leaders in his position have three primary options for succession.
—Foreign Affairs, 10 June 2024
California Newsom launches national campaign to fight ‘authoritarian leaders’
March 30, 2023
Newsom’s political advisor said lawmakers in many states are focused on their own elections or the presidential race this year, forcing the governor’s team to reevaluate their strategy and timetable.
—Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2024
The revolution of 1910 didn’t bring democracy, but instead ushered in one of the longest single-party authoritarian regimes in history.
—Amanda Taub, New York Times, 6 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for authoritarian 
S. Dev, CBS News, 11 June 2024
Putin’s Succession Conundrum Putin and authoritarian leaders in his position have three primary options for succession.
—Foreign Affairs, 10 June 2024
California Newsom launches national campaign to fight ‘authoritarian leaders’
March 30, 2023
Newsom’s political advisor said lawmakers in many states are focused on their own elections or the presidential race this year, forcing the governor’s team to reevaluate their strategy and timetable.
—Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2024
The revolution of 1910 didn’t bring democracy, but instead ushered in one of the longest single-party authoritarian regimes in history.
—Amanda Taub, New York Times, 6 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for authoritarian
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'authoritarian.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near authoritarian
Cite this Entry
“Authoritarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/authoritarian. Accessed 17 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
authoritarian
adjective
au·thor·i·tar·i·an
ȯ-ˌthär-ə-ˈter-ē-ən
ə-,
-ˌthȯr-
1
: expecting strict obedience to one's authority
had authoritarian parents
2
: based on the principle that the leaders and not the people have the final authority
an authoritarian state
authoritarian
noun
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