FASCISM Synonyms: 31 Similar and Opposite Words

fascism

noun

Definition of fascism

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 Voters have already handed a good chunk of democracy itself over to nationalist, religious and ideological fascism. — Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2026 The Soviet experience, on top of the rise of fascism, reminded my generation rather forcibly that man was, indeed, imperfect, and that the corruptions of power could unleash great evil in the world. — David Brooks, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026 Through blood-curdling howls and rants about fascism, fraud, and fighting to understand your identity, Truck Violence push through ugliness to find something more unaltered and real. — Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 25 June 2026 Antifa is short for anti-fascist or anti-fascism. — Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 17 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for fascism

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fascism

Noun

While Queen Romana projected the image of a supreme ruler who alternated between benevolence and tyranny, Didulo the person was all too human.

— Zander Sherman, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2026
Fandom has been around since the advent of mass media, but with that old world dying and the new one (bluntly summarized, its main features are social media plus the tyranny of the algorithm) very much born, now is the time of fangirls.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of tyranny

Noun

Outside of dictatorships, modern central bankers generally don’t have to fear for their lives, but they are sometimes subjected to heavy criticism.

— John Cassidy, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
None of Argentina’s players had been born when the country’s military dictatorship invaded the Malvinas in 1982, holding the islands for 73 days before British forces recaptured them in a war that killed 649 Argentine and 255 British troops.

— ABC News, ABC News, 31 July 2026

Definition of dictatorship

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

Definition of totalitarianism

Noun

Mayor Brandon Johnson said Chicago would not yield to authoritarianism and pledged to continue investing in communities that have long been overlooked.

— Lila Hempel-Edgers, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2026
That’s how the public is able to hold government accountable, and accountability is crucial to the fight for democracy and against censorship and authoritarianism.

— Heather Hendershot, The Conversation, 31 July 2026

Definition of authoritarianism

Browse Nearby Words

fascination

fascism

fashion

See all Nearby Words

Articles Related to fascism

Cite this Entry

Style

“Fascism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fascism. Accessed 12 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of fascism

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

The Words of the Week - Jan. 30

The Words of the Week - June 13

The Words of the Week - Feb. 28

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on fascism

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

gnomic

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes