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
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of authoritarian
Arkansas Online, 30 Mar. 2026
Most people are not used to speaking out, afraid that even a social media post criticizing the authoritarian government could land them in jail.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 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
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2026
At the same time, AI, with its surveillance potential, might have been invented for the new age of authoritarianism.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for authoritarian
Adjective
Protesters filled the streets Saturday at more than 3,300 rallies across all 50 states for No Kings, a movement that bills itself as nonviolent opposition to what organizers view as authoritarian rulers in the White House and beyond.
—Arkansas Online, 30 Mar. 2026
Most people are not used to speaking out, afraid that even a social media post criticizing the authoritarian government could land them in jail.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 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
Noun
His themes intersect with those of Kiarostami—an anti-authoritarianism that, though no less radical, is an ironic, self-deprecating one.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2026
At the same time, AI, with its surveillance potential, might have been invented for the new age of authoritarianism.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 26 Mar. 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
-
Minnesota also implemented stricter regulations around those products because of the federal prohibition, such as where consumers can buy them.—
Caroline Cummings,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
The design process took more than five years, a negotiation between the city’s strict hydraulic requirements and the neighborhood’s shifting wishes; the result was something no one had pictured in advance.—
Eric Klinenberg,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
For Iran, what counts is resistance, against arrogant and wicked oppressors, chiefly the United States and Israel.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
His team, which includes his advisor Atsushi Shirane and Masaya Miyahara of Japan’s High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), is aiming to develop a wireless system for controlling robots in this harsh environment.—
Katherine Bourzac,
IEEE Spectrum,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Items that are wind-resistant and waterproof will be good for use in many harsh weather conditions in which the user would need protection.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
This means that filmmakers out of favor with autocratic regimes—including, in Iran, some of the nation’s greatest artists—don’t stand a chance, and some of the most notable recent Iranian films have been submitted by other countries.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The civil wars that followed were ignited by violent crackdowns by autocratic rulers of those states, even as outside powers, including Iran in Syria, quickly intervened to prolong the fighting and support their allies.—
Frederic Wehrey,
Time,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The judge assigned to Amin’s case was Iman Afshari, known in Tehran for his tough sentences—a reputation that led the European Union to place him on a blacklist, in January, for human-rights abuses.—
Cora Engelbrecht,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Two sisters in Big Bear are facing one of the toughest moments in their lives.—
Zach Boetto,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Baumrind believed parents who were not authoritarian were either authoritative or permissive.—
Kelley King Heyworth,
Parents,
5 Apr. 2026
-
These articles add depth to a brand’s digital footprint and act as authoritative signals when AI tools evaluate credibility.—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Officials bemoaned overlapping rules, slow approvals and rigid policies that have complicated rebuilding efforts while burying survivors in paperwork.—
Nicole Sganga,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
The answer often lies in focusing less on rigid roles and more on adaptability.—
Rolling Stone Culture Council,
Rolling Stone,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Authoritarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/authoritarian. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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