1
as in domineering
fond of ordering people around
grew up with an authoritarian older sister who thought she was queen of the world
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in strict
given to exacting standards of discipline and self-restraint
an authoritarian coach who runs football practice like it's boot camp
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in disciplinarian
Related Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of authoritarian
Wesley Alexander Hill, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026
Will Mourinho take the more authoritarian approach he is expected to?
—Guillermo Rai, New York Times, 29 May 2026
The Week Us, TheWeek, 10 Mar. 2026
Khamenei, 87, who had been in power for more than three decades, was viewed by critics as a repressive authoritarian responsible for the mass murder of thousands of protesters and other human rights abuses.
—Julian Roberts-Grmela, New York Daily News, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for authoritarian
Adjective
During the Cold War, the United States partnered with authoritarian regimes, such as Anastasio Somoza of Nicaragua and Mobutu Sese Seko in then-Zaire, to contain Soviet expansion, often generating backlash.
—Wesley Alexander Hill, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026
Will Mourinho take the more authoritarian approach he is expected to?
—Guillermo Rai, New York Times, 29 May 2026
Noun
Khomeini was a leader of opposition to the shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, an authoritarian who wanted to modernize the country.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 10 Mar. 2026
Khamenei, 87, who had been in power for more than three decades, was viewed by critics as a repressive authoritarian responsible for the mass murder of thousands of protesters and other human rights abuses.
—Julian Roberts-Grmela, New York Daily News, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for authoritarian
Recent Examples of Synonyms for authoritarian
Adjective
-
Galitzine is taking on the iconic role of Adam Glenn, an exiled alien on Earth who learns that the domineering villain Skeletor is terrorizing his home world of Eternia.—
Keith Langston,
PEOPLE,
6 June 2026
-
Haverill is introduced in season 1 as a domineering borough commander who antagonizes Det.—
Britt Hayes,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 June 2026
Adjective
-
The latest outbreak, driven by the rare Bundibugyo strain, has infected at least 515 people and killed 91, prompting strict limits on public gatherings and enforced social distancing.—
Justin Kabumba,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
-
Before the Gov Ball sound engineers cut his mic out of respect for the park’s strict curfew and noise ordinance, Pretty Flacko had to take time out to reminisce about his own breakout.—
Rob Kenner,
VIBE.com,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
You are asked to be teachers, counselors, social workers, disciplinarians, mentors, advocates, crisis managers and emotional anchors for children navigating an increasingly complicated world.—
Susana A. Mendoza,
Chicago Tribune,
2 June 2026
-
Early in the film, as Joe was assembling the Jackson 5 with Michael and his brothers, Joe is depicted as a harsh disciplinarian who brutally beats young Michael with a belt.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Russian athletes are routinely asked to answer for the actions of their government, yet athletes from other countries are rarely subjected to the same scrutiny or treated as though they are personally aligned with war criminals or dictators.—
Jon Root OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
7 June 2026
-
Italy’s triumph over Czechoslovakia in the 1934 final which strengthened the regime of fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, for example.—
Will Jeanes,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
Adjective
-
As Molloy gradually succeeds in puncturing Lestat’s aloof, arrogant outer shell, his sound correspondingly shifts from assaultive punk to more contemplative ballads.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
7 June 2026
-
But Lobo isn't some mindless arrogant hulk out to impose his indomitable will.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
6 June 2026
Adjective
-
The flap has also brought harsh criticism from prominent people in Miami, including former Democratic congressman Joe Garcia.—
Douglas Hanks,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2026
-
Without excessive optimism, in a world that is becoming harsher, the Festival, on the contrary, is opening up and improving.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
4 June 2026
Noun
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The presence of Eisenhower's secretary Kay Summersby (Kerry Condon) is used as a dramatic foil a little too often, notably as a means to salve seemingly irreconcilable clashes between the personalities of her impatient and demonstrative boss and Stagg's soft-spoken yet obstinate martinet.—
Daniel Jonah Wolpert,
NPR,
29 May 2026
-
His chief antagonist is his caustic first wife, Queen Marguerite (Joy DeMichelle), who operates as a kind of a martinet death doula.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
The American origin story is rooted in the notion that George III was its vanquished villain, an irrational tyrant who oppressed the American colonists.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 June 2026
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If anything, the story during the semiquincentennial casts George as more of a whole person than the tyrant depicted in the ad hominem complaints peppered throughout the Declaration of Independence.—
Laurie Kellman,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Authoritarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/authoritarian. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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