totalitarianism

noun

(ˌ)tō-ˌta-lə-ˈter-ē-ə-ˌni-zəm How to pronounce totalitarianism (audio)
Definition of totalitarianismnext
as in tyranny
a system of government in which the ruler has unlimited power in times of crisis, when a nation's people are frightened, there are often calls for totalitarianism

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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 totalitarianism Interesting, too, how the project’s warnings about Russian totalitarianism, particularly stark in DAU. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026 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 Unconstitutional federal totalitarianism results in 54 million man-years each year of tax slavery, exponentiating $40 trillion in national debt, and behemoth corrupt federal socialism. — Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 5 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for totalitarianism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for totalitarianism
  1. tyranny
  2. fascism
  3. dictatorship
  4. authoritarianism
Noun
  • The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution protects the right to keep and bear arms as a safeguard against tyranny and for personal security.
    — Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 4 Nov. 2026
  • All men recognize the right of revolution; that is, the right to refuse allegiance to, and to resist, the government, when its tyranny or its inefficiency are great and unendurable.
    — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of tyranny
Noun
  • But that belies what many critics have decried as authoritarian actions by this administration, and these comparisons with fascism continue to animate public discourse.
    — Matthew N. Hannah, The Conversation, 30 Oct. 2026
  • There’s cheering approval for Adolf Hitler and fascism in general.
    — Nathan Taylor Pemberton, Vanity Fair, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of fascism
Noun
  • The first project is about the disappearance of petty criminal El Nani (aka Santiago Correla) in 1980s Spain during the country’s transition out of dictatorship and into democracy.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Nixon had called Cuba a dictatorship prior to the interview, and has repeated that position since.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of dictatorship
Noun
  • Look at Brazil, which has come back from the brink of a return to authoritarianism only because the crimes of even a former president like Jair Bolsonaro were duly investigated, laid bare for the public, and the perpetrator punished.
    — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Voting is the only way out for anyone who’s unhappy with a government headed toward authoritarianism.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of authoritarianism

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Cite this Entry

“Totalitarianism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/totalitarianism. Accessed 11 Nov. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on totalitarianism

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about totalitarianism

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