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
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
Defending institutions of higher education from increasingly authoritarian measures is an important way to safeguard not only academic freedom, but the legacy of 1776 as well.
—
Time, 1 July 2025
Even among authoritarian regimes, differences in values can limit cooperation.
—Leon Aron, The Atlantic, 29 June 2025
Trump’s attempt to use this centuries-old statute to conduct mass removals — outside of immigration law, with no hearings or judicial review — has been another authoritarian power grab posing grave threats to civil liberties and the rule of law.
—Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 27 June 2025
In recent years, authoritarian regimes have refined a chillingly effective strategy to chip away at Americans’ faith in democracy by relentlessly sowing doubt about the tools U.S. states use to conduct elections.
—Bruce Schneier, The Conversation, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for authoritarian
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Time, 1 July 2025
Even among authoritarian regimes, differences in values can limit cooperation.
—Leon Aron, The Atlantic, 29 June 2025
Trump’s attempt to use this centuries-old statute to conduct mass removals — outside of immigration law, with no hearings or judicial review — has been another authoritarian power grab posing grave threats to civil liberties and the rule of law.
—Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 27 June 2025
In recent years, authoritarian regimes have refined a chillingly effective strategy to chip away at Americans’ faith in democracy by relentlessly sowing doubt about the tools U.S. states use to conduct elections.
—Bruce Schneier, The Conversation, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for authoritarian
Cite this Entry
“Authoritarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/authoritarian. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share