authoritarian

adjective

au·thor·i·tar·i·an ȯ-ˌthȯr-ə-ˈter-ē-ən

ə-,

-ˌthär-

Synonyms of authoritarian next

: of, relating to, or favoring blind submission to authority

had authoritarian parents

: 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

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 The cassette provided a way of subverting those authoritarian gatekeepers, spreading protest songs—or in some cases, dance music and wedding music—that were deemed improper, offensive, or dangerous. —

Jon Michaud, The New Yorker, 16 Nov. 2023 As fewer Chinese people are able to identify with their government’s increasingly authoritarian policies, more immigrants may be trying to make their lives in the U.S. And herein lies the real promise and opportunity in the San Gabriel Valley. —

Frank Shyong, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2023 Western technologies should not be used to establish and reinforce authoritarian regimes, to violate human rights, to conduct wars of conquest, or to enable confrontations with the West itself. —

Foreign Affairs, 3 Nov. 2023 At that point, only their authoritarian leaders will have the power to oppress everyone else, including the common party members. —

Jianli Yang, National Review, 4 Nov. 2023 This miasma of extremism and dysfunction ultimately crescendoed with the advent of Trumpism and the full flower of that authoritarian project. —

Jason Linkins, The New Republic, 4 Nov. 2023 This is especially true for nations with authoritarian leaders, which might have news outlets that are monitored or controlled by the government. —

Joanna Thompson, Scientific American, 1 Nov. 2023 Many of the guns are exported to countries plagued by skyrocketing gun crime, while others go to authoritarian regimes, with many of the sales supported by Democratic and Republican presidents alike. —

Michael Riley Bloomberg News (tns), Arkansas Online, 29 Oct. 2023 Nazi Germany and the former USSR were gun-free countries, as are Cuba, North Korea and other similar authoritarian paradises of today. —

Amanda Morris, Washington Post, 28 Oct. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'authoritarian.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.