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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 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 Another totalitarianism, so recently an ally, was already on the march. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 1 May 2026 The standards for the totalitarianism course between the Walters’ 2025 version and the 2026 version are identical, and the standards of the Ancient and Medieval World History course are similar, but leave several items out. — Beth Wallis, StateImpact, 24 Apr. 2026 While the Russian government has taken steps in the past to acknowledge the culpability of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin and his regime, some Russian-language commentators see the display as a massive step back toward denying the crimes of totalitarianism. — Nathan Hodge, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for totalitarianism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for totalitarianism
  1. tyranny
  2. fascism
  3. dictatorship
  4. authoritarianism
Noun
  • Americans in 1940, although not yet at war, were the Arsenal of Democracy that likely saved the world from fascist tyranny.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026
  • But, as Roy points out, finding love with Ellen actually gives Brian the strength to stand up to Lovat’s tyranny rather than bow to it.
    — Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of tyranny
Noun
  • There never was a better moment for a movement aimed at resisting fascism, preventing war and eliminating poverty at home.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Many immigrants who arrived in the United States from Europe, including some Italians who came during the two years between Mussolini’s March on Rome and the passage of the Immigration Act of 1924, left Italy because of the rise of fascism.
    — Ed Simon, JSTOR Daily, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of fascism
Noun
  • His raspy voice, his beard, his missing finger and the cadence of his speech have been fixtures of Brazilian public life since Brazil’s first direct presidential election after the dictatorship ended in 1985.
    — Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026
  • This strategy is unlikely to work on liberal Israelis, who view this election as the last chance to save their homeland from sliding into dictatorship.
    — Aluf Benn, Foreign Affairs, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of dictatorship
Noun
  • The last one was really about the allure of authoritarianism.
    — J. Kim Murphy, IndieWire, 22 Oct. 2026
  • But our survey respondents’ subsequent shift toward national identity, coupled with a further decline in mosque attendance, suggest that Erdogan’s turn toward authoritarianism may have intensified an ongoing trend toward liberalization.
    — Mansoor Moaddel, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of authoritarianism

Browse Nearby Words

totalitarian
totalitarianism
totalitarians
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Totalitarianism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/totalitarianism. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on totalitarianism

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about totalitarianism

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of grotesque

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

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

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

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

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All