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

authoritarianism

ȯ-ˌthȯr-ə-ˈter-ē-ə-ˌni-zəm 

ə-, 

-ˌthär-

noun

Synonyms of authoritarian

• domineering
• arrogant
• autocratic
• authoritative
• despotic
• dictatorial
• tyrannical

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

Venezuela’s opposition and human rights groups have long accused the country’s authoritarian regime of using arbitrary arrests to suppress dissent. —Diego Mendoza, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026

Rezwan Shahriar Sumit’s Master, tracing the rise of a teacher drawn into local politics in Bangladesh and moving from idealism to authoritarian impulses, won the Big Screen Competition. —Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 6 Feb. 2026

What is unique in this moment is how aggressively one political party is leveraging this and the ends to which it is being used, which is to overthrow democracy and to install an authoritarian regime. —Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 6 Feb. 2026

In response, voters are backing candidates with draconian plans to crack down on violence, many inspired by El Salvador’s authoritarian fight against gangs. —semafor.com, 6 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

authority + -arian

First Known Use

1861, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing authoritarian

• anti-authoritarian

Rhymes for authoritarian

• communitarian
• disciplinarian
• egalitarian
• equalitarian
• humanitarian
• majoritarian
• octogenarian
• parliamentarian
• radiolarian
• totalitarian
• utilitarian
• agrarian

Kids 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

authoritarianism

-ē-ə-ˌniz-əm 

noun