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
There is something totalitarian about utopias, something already latent in More. — Carline Tromp, The Dial, 18 Aug. 2026 The foundation’s goal is to memorialize those killed by communist regimes and pursue freedom for people still living under totalitarian rule. — Anna Maria Barry-Jester, ProPublica, 17 July 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
  • Thomas shocks Vision back to life, but this somehow alerts Butcherbird; Vision’s mindscape fills with oppressive red lighting, ominously circling birds, and TVs crackling with static.
    — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The tropical sun was oppressive, but company representatives were prepared with orange parasols, each with a dedicated barcode.
    — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of oppressive
Noun
  • This was demonstrated in Hungary in April, when opposition leader Péter Magyar convincingly won an election against a long-ruling, right-wing authoritarian.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 9 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Definition of authoritarian
Noun
  • The main drama involves a rural teen-age tee girl who recognizes the resort’s president as the potentate who evicted her family from their land.
    — Sheldon Pearce, New Yorker, 28 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Definition of potentate
Noun
  • Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has responded defiantly, saying Trump has an affinity for autocrats.
    — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • These innovations may reduce the number of bureaucrats autocrats need.
    — Seva Gunitsky, Foreign Affairs, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of autocrat
Noun
  • Ali Abdullah Saleh, the longtime dictator of Yemen, was overthrown during the Arab Spring and the Houthis were able to seize a large chunk of territory.
    — Ariana Aspuru, Vox, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Without principle, without a moral compass, with no checks and balances, our would-be-dictator is an embarrassing stain on the soul of a once-proud America.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of dictator
Noun
  • He got obsessed with building an empire, started Solar Productions, and became a tyrant both on set and off.
    — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Plato warned that an unhealthy democracy can easily fall prey to a tyrant.
    — Kenneth Michael White, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 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 Oct. 2026.

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