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
Modern successful authoritarian regimes often tolerate limited digital openness because strong performance can sustain political passivity.
—
Natasha Lindstaedt, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026
Ben-Gvir, in addition to being an authoritarian racist, is a bona fide criminal.
—Avi Issacharoff, The Atlantic, 22 May 2026
Fernandez didn’t mince words in his statement and accused Lago, Anderson and Lara of using authoritarian tactics to silence and hurt those who go against them.
—Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 22 May 2026
The nonprofit response In many countries, authoritarian attacks on the nonprofit sector have been met with ineffective resistance.
—Christopher Justin Einolf, The Conversation, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for authoritarian
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Natasha Lindstaedt, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026
Ben-Gvir, in addition to being an authoritarian racist, is a bona fide criminal.
—Avi Issacharoff, The Atlantic, 22 May 2026
Fernandez didn’t mince words in his statement and accused Lago, Anderson and Lara of using authoritarian tactics to silence and hurt those who go against them.
—Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 22 May 2026
The nonprofit response In many countries, authoritarian attacks on the nonprofit sector have been met with ineffective resistance.
—Christopher Justin Einolf, The Conversation, 22 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 29 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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