as in tyranny
a system of government in which the ruler has unlimited power
a critical period that saw a number of third-world countries abandon authoritarianism for democracy
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Recent Examples of authoritarianism
Similar charges were leveled against several other rival candidates ahead of the election, spurring accusations of authoritarianism and corruption against Pashinyan’s government.
—
Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 8 June 2026
The author became a prominent voice on exile, women's freedom and authoritarianism, frequently using her public platform to denounce repression in Iran.
—Hugo Lhomedet, USA Today, 4 June 2026
This is the way authoritarianism substitutes for democracy – slowly and incrementally, until the whole system suddenly tips over.
—Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 2 June 2026
This represents one major leap in the direction of authoritarianism — the president directly raiding the public offers to enrich cronies, not just via his corrupt business dealings and pseudo-bribes from foreign governments, but straight up getting checks from the public treasury.
—New York Daily News, Twin Cities, 28 May 2026
With the country engulfed in flames, the conservative government maintained itself through repression and authoritarianism.
—Roberto Andrés, The Dial, 28 May 2026
Inspired by real people and events, the drama unfolds against the backdrop of 2021 demonstrations in Cuba when thousands of people took to the streets to protest the government’s mismanagement of the economy and authoritarianism.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 27 May 2026
Since then, Republicans in more states have been careening closer to authoritarianism, adopting laws that undermine fair elections and suppress opposing viewpoints.
—Mary Ellen Klas, Mercury News, 26 May 2026
This represents one major leap in the direction of authoritarianism — the president directly raiding the public coffers to enrich cronies, not just via his corrupt business dealings and pseudo-bribes from foreign governments, but straight up getting checks from the public treasury.
—The Orlando Sentinel, 23 May 2026
Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 8 June 2026
The author became a prominent voice on exile, women's freedom and authoritarianism, frequently using her public platform to denounce repression in Iran.
—Hugo Lhomedet, USA Today, 4 June 2026
This is the way authoritarianism substitutes for democracy – slowly and incrementally, until the whole system suddenly tips over.
—Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 2 June 2026
This represents one major leap in the direction of authoritarianism — the president directly raiding the public offers to enrich cronies, not just via his corrupt business dealings and pseudo-bribes from foreign governments, but straight up getting checks from the public treasury.
—New York Daily News, Twin Cities, 28 May 2026
With the country engulfed in flames, the conservative government maintained itself through repression and authoritarianism.
—Roberto Andrés, The Dial, 28 May 2026
Inspired by real people and events, the drama unfolds against the backdrop of 2021 demonstrations in Cuba when thousands of people took to the streets to protest the government’s mismanagement of the economy and authoritarianism.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 27 May 2026
Since then, Republicans in more states have been careening closer to authoritarianism, adopting laws that undermine fair elections and suppress opposing viewpoints.
—Mary Ellen Klas, Mercury News, 26 May 2026
This represents one major leap in the direction of authoritarianism — the president directly raiding the public coffers to enrich cronies, not just via his corrupt business dealings and pseudo-bribes from foreign governments, but straight up getting checks from the public treasury.
—The Orlando Sentinel, 23 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for authoritarianism
Noun
-
One requirement of self-governance is the relentless pursuit of truth, which necessarily involves questioning people in positions of power in order to prevent tyranny.—
Adrienne LaFrance,
The Atlantic,
1 June 2026
-
Suddenly, guardrails are not tyranny but common sense.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
Stolen from his Chilean mother as a baby and raised in suburban Chicago, 36-year-old Kyle Adler finally reunites with her, confronting an identity shaped by dictatorship-era trafficking.—
Vanessa A. Alvarez,
Los Angeles Times,
28 May 2026
-
Every administration since the Marcos dictatorship has directed particular attention to the island of Negros, which has seen considerable NPA activity because of the area’s chronic struggles over land rights.—
Patrick Peralta,
The Conversation,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
While India’s media landscape has largely retreated in the face of the Hindu right’s fascism, Kandasamy is one of the few consistently at the barricades.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 May 2026
-
Talking to Deadline ahead of the screening, Loach says the conflict still resonates with the Left to this day as the first international fight against fascism.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
Once in office, Putin installed Vadim as an adviser to help consolidate his administration into an autocracy responsible for the suppression of civil liberties, for wars in Chechnya and Ukraine, and for a campaign of disinformation and interference in Western democracies.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
13 May 2026
-
If Magyar fails to fix the system and deliver results, a return to autocracy would be likely.—
Elizabeth Shackelford,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
His parents’ experience living under totalitarianism shaped his outlook on the world.—
Iris Kwok
May 12,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
-
Another totalitarianism, so recently an ally, was already on the march.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
The book circles political concerns that remain relevant today, including empire, caste prejudice, and the dangers of despotism and corruption.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
-
Eight decades later, as nations inch toward despotism, an art animated by democratic impulses makes a stronger case for itself.—
Judith Shulevitz,
The Atlantic,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Authoritarianism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/authoritarianism. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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