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
Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 8 Apr. 2026
The Boys has leaned into its political and authoritarian satire elements probably the most this season.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2026
Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2026
Maduro, an authoritarian, has led Venezuela since 2013, succeeding an ideological ally, Hugo Chávez, who had been in office since 1999.
—Dallas Morning News, 3 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for authoritarian
Adjective
Season 5 will revolve around an all-out conflict between Homelander (Antony Starr), who has seized unprecedented power and pushed the world toward authoritarian rule, and Billy Butcher (Karl Urban), who becomes increasingly ruthless in his mission to destroy all Supes.
—Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 8 Apr. 2026
The Boys has leaned into its political and authoritarian satire elements probably the most this season.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2026
Noun
Caleb is resistant, but Nahla is not your traditional authoritarian either.
—Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2026
Maduro, an authoritarian, has led Venezuela since 2013, succeeding an ideological ally, Hugo Chávez, who had been in office since 1999.
—Dallas Morning News, 3 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for authoritarian
Recent Examples of Synonyms for authoritarian
Adjective
-
In the new version, the dramatic tension comes from the singer’s relationship with his domineering father, Joe Jackson, who doesn’t want his son’s solo career to come at the expense of the Jackson 5, the Motown group that put the family on the map.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Rethinking the Chávez myth True reappraisals of Chávez and his work wouldn’t start until after former Times editor and reporter Miriam Pawel published a 2006 series for this paper that showed the ugly, domineering side of Chávez and the UFW’s decline.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Rather than a strict split of half of time spent at work and half on family matters, many people are embracing a more fluid concept of work-life integration.—
Metro Creative Services,
Boston Herald,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Three developments – higher oil prices, a stronger dollar, and stricter US financial conditions – have been headwinds for other currencies.—
Joseph Wilkins,
CNBC,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Mitevska also refuses to sanctify Mother Teresa more than necessary, instead portraying her as a strict disciplinarian who believed in organizational practicality as much as in the inherent holiness of children.—
Ritesh Mehta,
IndieWire,
27 Aug. 2025
-
Considering his managers at Leeds included disciplinarians such as Wilkinson and George Graham, this was probably for the best.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
29 July 2025
Noun
-
And, as in the days of the Turkmen dictator, everyone fell into line.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Imperatori-Lee said that global reach gave him a first-hand perspective on how Washington’s economic and military policies — including backing dictators in Latin America — have negatively affected less powerful nations and their citizens.—
Bill Barrow,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Notoriously arrogant comedy legend Kent Romero might first bring to mind Chevy Chase for readers, perhaps even 1980s stars like Judge Reinhold, but with his Venezuelan-American background, he was also inspired by real-life groundbreakers like Freddie Prinze.—
Lee Kelly,
PEOPLE,
12 Apr. 2026
-
As the sun and Jupiter clash, you’re cosmically protected, but arrogant behavior won’t get a pass.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The lawyers also argue that Combs' sentence was too harsh, saying the trial judge wrongly based it in part on a conclusion that the crimes involved fraud and coercion and that Combs was a leader or organizer of criminal activity.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
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Focused on a 2021 expedition in which Icelandic climber John Snorri Sigurjónsson and the Pakistani father-and-son team Ali and Sajid Sadpara attempt to become the first to summit K2 in winter, when conditions are at their harshest.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Too much ink has been spilled on the pathological gilding of the Trump White House, but how to explain the attraction of today’s martinets to really dreadfully reproduced Louis Quatorze furniture?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The September murder of the right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, who was close to many in the administration, including Miller, plunged Trump’s already single-minded martinet into a maximalist frenzy.—
Michael Scherer,
The Atlantic,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In the propaganda video, the narrator mentions the core Shiite religious figures Ali and Hussein, the first and third Shiite Imams, respectively, as well as the Battle of Karbala, a seventh-century uprising by Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, against a tyrant named Yazid.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Trump wants to rule over us as a tyrant.—
Killian Baarlaer,
Louisville Courier Journal,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Authoritarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/authoritarian. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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