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
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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
Kevin Liptak, CNN Money, 14 June 2026
Taking the helm as bureau chief in 1980, Briscoe charted the waning years of Ferdinand Marcos’ authoritarian regime and the turmoil unleashed by the assassination of opposition leader Benigno Aquino Jr.
—ABC News, 10 June 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
The death of Supreme Leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei stunned Iranians, many of whom had never known anything but his authoritarian leadership.
—Kevin Liptak, CNN Money, 14 June 2026
Taking the helm as bureau chief in 1980, Briscoe charted the waning years of Ferdinand Marcos’ authoritarian regime and the turmoil unleashed by the assassination of opposition leader Benigno Aquino Jr.
—ABC News, 10 June 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
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Musk’s company has inked lucrative AI deals with Anthropic and Google and plans to be the domineering firm behind orbital data centers, which SpaceX has said could be deployed as early as 2028.—
Antonio Pequeño IV,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
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Many figures within evangelicalism have promoted an aggressive, domineering, even abusive view of manhood—affixing to it, as Du Mez argues, the label biblical.—
Peter Wehner,
The Atlantic,
10 June 2026
Adjective
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Initiative, dubbed a ‘Swiss Brexit,’ sought binding limits by 2050, forcing strict curbs on asylum, family reunification and work permits, potentially dismantling Switzerland’s deal on free movement of people and close EU ties.—
Jamey Keaten,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
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The administration denied the request, saying accident rates for skydiving planes are lower than those for other types of private flights, a point the United States Parachute Association has emphasized repeatedly in the years since then, lobbying against stricter rules.—
Alexandra Skores,
CNN Money,
15 June 2026
Noun
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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
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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,
20 June 2026
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One depicts Putin being cradled in the arms of the Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.—
Vanessa Gera,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
Adjective
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The two roles underline the actor’s formidable versatility, all skittish panic in the former and arrogant sociopathy in the other.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
13 June 2026
-
Washington State’s beauty is almost arrogant in its expansiveness.—
C Pam Zhang,
Travel + Leisure,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
Ahead of the holiday, the City of Rancho Cordova is cracking down with much harsher penalties.—
Brady Halbleib,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
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Members of his party who want even harsher border controls have splintered off to form Restore Britain, which has gained support from Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who is vociferously backing it on his X platform.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
18 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
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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
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Aegon, dragged out of King’s Landing by spymaster Lord Larys Strong (Matthew Needham) in an effort to save him from the fratricidal Aemond, gets an up-close look at the petty tyrants who have sprouted up in the countryside thanks to his impetuous rule.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
18 June 2026
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Examples range from businesses like Enron, Tyco, and Bernie Madoff, along with historical tyrants like Stalin or Hitler to modern figures like Putin, and industries like tobacco that knowingly harm users for profit.—
Steve Denning,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Authoritarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/authoritarian. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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