as in enforcer
a person who is very strict about punishing bad behavior; a person who uses discipline as a way of making sure that rules or orders are obeyed
The school's principal is a strict disciplinarian.
Related Words
Relevance
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 disciplinarian
Both were industrious strivers at work and strict disciplinarians at home.
—
Danielle Amir Jackson, The Atlantic, 27 Feb. 2025
The 45-year-old wife, accused of being the primary disciplinarian, was sentenced to 12 years in prison, while the 43-year-old husband received a 10-year sentence.
—Olivia Lloyd, Miami Herald, 14 Jan. 2025
After three years with John Fox, Pace didn’t need to fully reset the culture inside Halas Hall and bring in an experienced disciplinarian because Fox had helped clean up the mess left behind by the Phil Emery/Marc Trestman administration.
—Adam Jahns, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025
There are no old-school disciplinarians in the NFL any longer, but Campbell’s success is based on toughness, winning the one-on-one battles and gambling that his team will be successful on fourth-down plays.
—Steve Silverman, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for disciplinarian
Danielle Amir Jackson, The Atlantic, 27 Feb. 2025
The 45-year-old wife, accused of being the primary disciplinarian, was sentenced to 12 years in prison, while the 43-year-old husband received a 10-year sentence.
—Olivia Lloyd, Miami Herald, 14 Jan. 2025
After three years with John Fox, Pace didn’t need to fully reset the culture inside Halas Hall and bring in an experienced disciplinarian because Fox had helped clean up the mess left behind by the Phil Emery/Marc Trestman administration.
—Adam Jahns, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025
There are no old-school disciplinarians in the NFL any longer, but Campbell’s success is based on toughness, winning the one-on-one battles and gambling that his team will be successful on fourth-down plays.
—Steve Silverman, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for disciplinarian
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disciplinarian
Noun
-
While hardly an enforcer, with just one flagrant foul and no technical fouls over these first two NBA seasons, the toughness continues to win over the locker room.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Gulls forward and team enforcer Travis Howe briefly threw a charge into the home crowd by initiating a third-period scrap with Jacob Mellanson directly in front of the visiting bench.—
Ivan Carter,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Emery is a taskmaster but, along with countryman defender Pau Torres, Rogers is among his favourites in the Villa squad.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
-
In this Water sign, the taskmaster will expose emotional or spiritual fatigue, which asks us to build something honest and enduring rather than idealized and faulty.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
8 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Maduro, an authoritarian, has led Venezuela since 2013, succeeding an ideological ally, Hugo Chávez, who had been in office since 1999.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
3 Jan. 2026
-
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
Noun
-
But, as had happened so often in the history of brittle regimes, the dictator’s gesture of conciliation was read as desperation.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Mainly for the money Among the fraternity of dictators such revenue streams have now gone mainstream.—
Max Hastings,
Twin Cities,
11 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Disciplinarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disciplinarian. Accessed 23 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
