totalitarian 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of totalitariannext
as in oppressive
controlling the people of a country in a very strict way with complete power that cannot be opposed A totalitarian state that did not even allow outsiders to visit.

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totalitarian

2 of 2

noun

as in authoritarian

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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 totalitarian
Adjective
Her character, June — called Offred to reflect her subservient role — was our entry point into the totalitarian world of Gilead, a patriarchal society in which handmaids are forced to bear the children of the elite. — Louis Peitzman, Entertainment Weekly, 21 June 2026 Rather than dealing with the dynamics driving away wealth, Xi Jinping’s totalitarian regime is imposing stringent new controls on buying stocks, real estate and insurance policies overseas. — Editorial Board, Washington Post, 20 June 2026
Noun
And there’s another reason why totalitarians capable of horrific human rights violations are a real hosting nightmare. — Sarah Todd, Quartz, 27 Dec. 2019 Some of his most popular works were surrealistic fantasies set in grisly worlds run by totalitarians and conformists. — Fox News, 28 June 2018 See All Example Sentences for totalitarian
Recent Examples of Synonyms for totalitarian
  1. oppressive
  2. authoritarian
  3. potentate
  4. autocrat
  5. dictator
  6. tyrant
Adjective
  • However, a time has come where the weight of those dreams and ambitions has become surprisingly oppressive.
    — Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Aug. 2026
  • About the jail conditions The Sunday afternoon heat surrounding volunteers contrasts with what detainees describe as an oppressive cold inside.
    — Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of oppressive
Noun
  • And the solution is simply to replace the corrupt, racist authoritarian with a governing party that respects the rule of law, equality, and basic decency.
    — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Erdoğan has undoubtedly turned into a full-blooded authoritarian, cracking down on his opposition at home while waging dubious wars overseas.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 July 2026
Definition of authoritarian
Noun
  • With 775 rooms, the palace also provides office space for the royal bureaucracy and hosts lavish state dinners for visiting presidents and potentates.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 26 June 2026
  • The game is a playground for Russian oligarchs, Middle Eastern potentates, and Latin American strongmen—his people.
    — Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 7 Apr. 2026
Definition of potentate
Noun
  • The regional order rested on American security guarantees not only to Arab states but also, critically, to the autocrats who sat atop them.
    — MARC LYNCH, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
  • But with April’s decisive popular vote against longtime autocrat Viktor Orbán, Hungary now signals hope for democratic renewal and recovery.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 22 July 2026
Definition of autocrat
Noun
  • For years the company has rewritten its own rules, redesigned its products, and even bent to the demands of dictators to preserve market access.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
  • President Jimmy Carter and Panamanian dictator Omar Torrijos signed the Carter-Torrijos Treaties transferring control of the Panama Canal from the United States to Panama by 2000.
    — USA Today, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of dictator
Noun
  • Netanyahu brands Erdogan an ‘antisemitic tyrant’ Netanyahu and Katz have pushed back on the political motivation narrative, warning instead of an impending Turkish footprint in Syria.
    — Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Some tin-pot tyrant decides their country really owns part of another and invades.
    — Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of tyrant

Browse Nearby Words

totalism
totalitarian
totalitarianism
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Cite this Entry

“Totalitarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/totalitarian. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

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