1
as in disciplinarians
Related Words
Relevance
2
as in dictators
Related Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of authoritarians
Not your grandma’s authoritarians Today’s authoritarian rulers realize that civil society has the potential to support democracy and pry loose their grip on power.
—
Christopher Justin Einolf, The Conversation, 26 Sep. 2025
Christopher Justin Einolf, The Conversation, 26 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for authoritarians
Noun
-
But often those intentions stumble into a political quagmire where democratic dreams turn into civil war, once-compliant dictators become embarrassments and American soldiers return home in body bags.—
Tim Sullivan,
Fortune,
1 Mar. 2026
-
In the post-colonial era, Arab dictators established secular laws, but these legal systems favored the ruling clique.—
Anand Gopal,
New Yorker,
28 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Aspiring tyrants inevitably promise security and food on the table.—
Anand Gopal,
New Yorker,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Those historians were impressed by how much personal force the old tyrants could generate.—
David Brooks,
Mercury News,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
As carry-on only travelers, Ryan and I are sticklers about efficient packing.—
Kristine Thomason,
Travel + Leisure,
23 Aug. 2025
-
Regardless of what legal-ethics sticklers might think of its business model, the 156-person startup has been growing quickly.—
Danielle Chemtob,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
These despots will continue to lash out at America.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Such an outcome would have broad economic consequences and allow despots yet unknown to reassert control even as Trump moves on to, say, Cuba.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Work is work, and there’s writerly reward, too, in daily encounters with a diverse range of taskmasters across all social groups.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Spectres are haunting the New York City Ballet—the spectres of kings and emperors.—
Jennifer Homans,
New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2026
-
As the Angevin empire threatens to tear itself apart, Rob and Marian are drawn into the orbit of kings and queens, forced to wield the very instruments of Norman power to secure a future for the Saxons.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Authoritarians.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/authoritarians. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
