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 of authoritarian
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
Comedians are anti-authoritarian by nature.
—
Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 18 May 2026
Some compared him to El Salvador’s authoritarian president, Nayib Bukele, who is widely popular throughout Latin America for jailing alleged gang members with no due process.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
Belarus' authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko has allowed Russia to deploy some of its tactical nuclear weapons to his country.
—ABC News, 18 May 2026
The show, which featured a sizzling performance by Walton Goggins, as an authoritarian vigilante, was an avant-garde breakthrough for television.
—Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 17 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for authoritarian
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Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 18 May 2026
Some compared him to El Salvador’s authoritarian president, Nayib Bukele, who is widely popular throughout Latin America for jailing alleged gang members with no due process.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
Belarus' authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko has allowed Russia to deploy some of its tactical nuclear weapons to his country.
—ABC News, 18 May 2026
The show, which featured a sizzling performance by Walton Goggins, as an authoritarian vigilante, was an avant-garde breakthrough for television.
—Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 17 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for authoritarian
Cite this Entry
“Authoritarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/authoritarian. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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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