AUTHORITARIANISM Synonyms: 31 Similar and Opposite Words

authoritarianism

noun

Definition of authoritarianism

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 Look at Brazil, which has come back from the brink of a return to authoritarianism only because the crimes of even a former president like Jair Bolsonaro were duly investigated, laid bare for the public, and the perpetrator punished. — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 5 Nov. 2026 Voting is the only way out for anyone who’s unhappy with a government headed toward authoritarianism. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 3 Nov. 2026 While everyday Democrats threw their hands up in the air and wondered what on earth was happening, Garland’s Justice Department hemmed and hawed about staying impartial, objective, and neutral in the face of violent authoritarianism. — Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026 The convergence of young people’s anger over education and employment, fears of authoritarianism, and concern for the sanctity of the vote poses a serious challenge to the Modi government. — Asim Ali, Time, 24 Oct. 2026 The last one was really about the allure of authoritarianism. — J. Kim Murphy, IndieWire, 22 Oct. 2026 But our survey respondents’ subsequent shift toward national identity, coupled with a further decline in mosque attendance, suggest that Erdogan’s turn toward authoritarianism may have intensified an ongoing trend toward liberalization. — Mansoor Moaddel, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026 Critics see a once-lively multiethnic crossroads suffocated by Chinese authoritarianism. — David J. Lynch, Washington Post, 15 Oct. 2026 Deploying government agencies without regard for facts or consequences is, of course, a hallmark of authoritarianism. — Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for authoritarianism

Noun

Fulbright’s essay recalls much of what the founders wrote about the danger of regression to a psychology of vengeance, and the notion that tyranny exists wherever violence is praised.

— Dominic Erdozain, Time, 12 Nov. 2026
The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution protects the right to keep and bear arms as a safeguard against tyranny and for personal security.

— Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of tyranny

Noun

The first project is about the disappearance of petty criminal El Nani (aka Santiago Correla) in 1980s Spain during the country’s transition out of dictatorship and into democracy.

— Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 30 Oct. 2026
Nixon had called Cuba a dictatorship prior to the interview, and has repeated that position since.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of dictatorship

Noun

Having witnessed the rise of fascism up close, Morgenthau was shocked to find that so many Americans believed that human nature was fundamentally good, that peace was the normal condition of humanity, and that history was a story of progress.

— David Sacks, Foreign Affairs, 6 Nov. 2026
But that belies what many critics have decried as authoritarian actions by this administration, and these comparisons with fascism continue to animate public discourse.

— Matthew N. Hannah, The Conversation, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of fascism

Noun

Fed up with Shockley’s managerial despotism, Noyce—along with seven colleagues, who became known as the Traitorous Eight—defected to found a rival firm, Fairchild Semiconductor, and then defected again to found Intel.

— Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
The nation which will not adopt an equilibrium of power must adopt a despotism.

— Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026

Definition of despotism

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authoritarianism

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“Authoritarianism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/authoritarianism. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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