totalitarian

adjective to·tal·i·tar·i·an \ (ˌ)tō-ˌta-lə-ˈter-ē-ən \

Definition of totalitarian

1 a :of or relating to centralized control by an autocratic leader or hierarchy :authoritarian, dictatorial; especially :despotic

b :of or relating to a political regime based on subordination of the individual to the state and strict control of all aspects of the life and productive capacity of the nation especially by coercive measures (such as censorship and terrorism)

2 a :advocating or characteristic of totalitarianism

b :completely regulated by the state especially as an aid to national mobilization in an emergency

c :exercising autocratic powers

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Recent Examples of totalitarian from the Web

The robbery, and subsequent studies of Great Society welfare programs and totalitarian regimes around the world, led Mr. Cromartie on the path to conservatism.

— harrison smith, Washington Post, "Michael Cromartie, scholar who explained the intersection of politics and religion, dies at 67," 29 Aug. 2017
Governments can bar advocacy for genocide without becoming totalitarian — as Europe’s liberal democracies have proven.

— eric levitz, Daily Intelligencer, "Germany Shuts Down an ‘Extremist’ Left-Wing Website for the First Time," 25 Aug. 2017
At the head of this totalitarian regime is Nicolette Cayman, played brilliantly (and terrifyingly) by Glenn Close.

— christopher rosa, Glamour, "'What Happened to Monday' Is a Terrifying Mix of 'The Hunger Games' and 'Divergent'," 18 Aug. 2017
According to Time, the elections are used primarily as a way to keep tabs on the population, and the government remains a totalitarian regime.

— emma sarran webster, Teen Vogue, "North Korea: What to Know About Its Government and Nuclear Weapons History," 9 Aug. 2017
The FBI is examining the totalitarian state’s link to the hack, according to two officials with direct knowledge of the investigation.

— jaclyn gallucci, Fortune, "How the World’s Biggest Cyberheist Was Laundered by a Baccarat Binge," 3 Aug. 2017
The hotel's manipulative proprietor, Gutman, played with a devil-may-care sense of authority by Roger Magendie, is an all-powerful overseer of the square, who toys with the fate of all in his hands in this totalitarian police state.

— theodore p. mahne, NOLA.com, "Tennessee Williams' 'Camino Real' a wild dream that will jolt audiences," 31 July 2017
But other locals pointed to the harshness of the totalitarian past.

— jane wooldridge, miamiherald, "The Danube dozen: How our bagel group sailed through eastern Europe without losing our T-shirts," 14 July 2017
In virtually every totalitarian and fascist regime, suppression of the free press is among the first orders of business.

— lynn yaeger, Vogue, "What Fascism Can Teach Us About Donald Trump," 12 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'totalitarian.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.