as in tyranny
rule, control, or leadership by one person with absolute power
A soaring crime rate and civil unrest were harbingers to the rise of fascism in the country.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar 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 fascism
The second World Cup, in 1934, was held in Benito Mussolini’s Italy and served his blustery model of fascism; 1978’s edition took place in Argentina, in the middle of its military junta and the disappearance of tens of thousands of dissidents.
—
Chris Jones, The Atlantic, 7 June 2026
The rise of fascism was on the agenda at SXSW London on Monday afternoon.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 1 June 2026
While India’s media landscape has largely retreated in the face of the Hindu right’s fascism, Kandasamy is one of the few consistently at the barricades.
—Literary Hub, 28 May 2026
Talking to Deadline ahead of the screening, Loach says the conflict still resonates with the Left to this day as the first international fight against fascism.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 19 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for fascism
Chris Jones, The Atlantic, 7 June 2026
The rise of fascism was on the agenda at SXSW London on Monday afternoon.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 1 June 2026
While India’s media landscape has largely retreated in the face of the Hindu right’s fascism, Kandasamy is one of the few consistently at the barricades.
—Literary Hub, 28 May 2026
Talking to Deadline ahead of the screening, Loach says the conflict still resonates with the Left to this day as the first international fight against fascism.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 19 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for fascism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fascism
Noun
-
The new aircraft will challenge that tyranny with non-stop, point to point service between the largest cities in Australia and Great Britain.—
Michael Goldstein,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
-
The vaunted ability of mass media to unify the globe here comes off as a benevolent form of tyranny, of a consensual unanimity in which the bearer of truth gains total attention, total acceptance, and total gratitude.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
Public anger over Chun’s dictatorship led to massive nationwide protests in 1987, forcing him to accept a constitutional revision introducing direct presidential elections, which is widely seen as the start of South Korea’s transition to democracy.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 June 2026
-
The trophy did not change any laws or soften the dictatorship’s grip on culture and society, but for 90 minutes at a time, none of that was the point.—
Julia Vargas Jones,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
Visual artist and historian Ranfis Suárez Ramos highlighted the importance of internet access for Cubans as a way to break the hold of totalitarianism.—
Sarah Moreno
June 5,
Miami Herald,
6 June 2026
-
His parents’ experience living under totalitarianism shaped his outlook on the world.—
Iris Kwok
May 12,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
Rent it on most major platforms Forbidden to enter the stadium, several Iranian women sneak in dressed as men to watch a World Cup qualifying match in the master director Jafar Panahi’s movie about everyday defiance under authoritarianism.—
Carlos Aguilar,
The Orlando Sentinel,
19 June 2026
-
The handmaids’ crimson robes evolved into protest iconography around the world because the story captured fears about authoritarianism and gender more viscerally than overt political messaging ever could.—
Marc Adelman,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fascism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fascism. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
