authoritarian

adjective

au·​thor·​i·​tar·​i·​an ȯ-ˌthȯr-ə-ˈter-ē-ən How to pronounce authoritarian (audio)
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
authoritarianism 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
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.
North Korea is under sanctions from the United States — as well as the United Nations and several other countries — largely in response to the isolated authoritarian state's weapons programs. Alana Wise, NPR, 25 July 2025 While Western democracies debate environmental reviews and grid reliability, authoritarian systems can rapidly direct energy flows to computing infrastructure. Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025 Congress has been sidelined by an increasingly authoritarian Executive and is already showing its fatigue. Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 July 2025 Stewart asked, comparing the president to the narcissistic, authoritarian Shrek movie villain. Raechal Shewfelt, EW.com, 22 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for authoritarian

Word History

Etymology

authority + -arian

First Known Use

1861, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of authoritarian was in 1861

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Authoritarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/authoritarian. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

authoritarian

adjective
au·​thor·​i·​tar·​i·​an ȯ-ˌthär-ə-ˈter-ē-ən How to pronounce authoritarian (audio)
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
authoritarianism noun

More from Merriam-Webster on authoritarian

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!