authoritarians

noun

plural of authoritarian
1
as in disciplinarians

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2
as in dictators

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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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for authoritarians
  1. disciplinarians
  2. dictators
  3. sticklers
  4. tyrants
  5. taskmasters
  6. despots
  7. kings
Noun
  • You are asked to be teachers, counselors, social workers, disciplinarians, mentors, advocates, crisis managers and emotional anchors for children navigating an increasingly complicated world.
    — Susana A. Mendoza, Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2026
Definition of disciplinarians
Noun
  • Trump has praised Communist dictators in terms unlike those used by any American president outside the context of a wartime alliance.
    — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026
  • Will people who flee dictators and endless poverty be permitted lawfully to cross America’s shores and borders in search of a better life?
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 16 June 2026
Definition of dictators
Noun
  • The rise of the grammar sticklers Many of today’s ideas about what constitutes correct English are based on a singular – often mistaken – 19th-century view of the forces that govern our language.
    — Valerie M. Fridland, The Conversation, 21 Apr. 2026
  • Yes, some sticklers would insist that greatly should never stand between to and excel.
    — Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2026
Definition of sticklers
Noun
  • Because, after all, as in all of Haber’s novels, the point is not really what is happening in the world but what is happening in the mind—in this case the mind of the pettiest of tyrants.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 July 2026
  • Aegon, dragged out of King’s Landing by spymaster Lord Larys Strong (Matthew Needham) in an effort to save him from the fratricidal Aemond, gets an up-close look at the petty tyrants who have sprouted up in the countryside thanks to his impetuous rule.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 18 June 2026
Definition of tyrants
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
Definition of taskmasters
Noun
  • The invisible power of the unelected despots of data and tech lords must be diminished; if families cannot control the disaster of digital addiction, states will have to legislate for them.
    — Simon Sebag Montefiore, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026
  • The Boys – Season 5 (Prime Video) Things have gone from bad to worse in the final season of The Boys, Prime Video’s irreverent superhero satire about America succumbing to charismatic despots and fascistic opportunists.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
Definition of despots
Noun
  • Standard Nobu Deluxe kings, at about 350 square feet, feel warmer and more characterful than many similarly sized Strip rooms, with platform beds, statement headboards, and large soaking tubs in unexpectedly big bathrooms.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 July 2026
  • Stock Chart IconStock chart icon Gold not glittering As for gold, while the yellow metal has traditionally been sought out by kings and paupers throughout history alike, the anaemic gold price has puzzled experts.
    — Lim Hui Jie,Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 3 July 2026
Definition of kings

Browse Nearby Words

authoritarianism
authoritarians
authoritative
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Cite this Entry

“Authoritarians.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/authoritarians. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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