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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Recent Examples of totalitarianism
The skull is a thin barrier against totalitarianism.
—
Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 23 Apr. 2025
Instead, its a compelling spy thriller interrogating the reality of a gritty fight against totalitarianism.
—Eliana Dockterman, Time, 22 Apr. 2025
Through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which is now on the verge of dissolution, the U.S. had funded 40% of the world’s foreign assistance, including programs designed to combat disease, malnutrition, maternal mortality, totalitarianism, and climate change.
—Belinda Luscombe, Time, 30 Apr. 2025
Forgotten Anne, for example, makes arguments against authoritarianism and totalitarianism.
—G Kirilloff, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for totalitarianism
Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 23 Apr. 2025
Instead, its a compelling spy thriller interrogating the reality of a gritty fight against totalitarianism.
—Eliana Dockterman, Time, 22 Apr. 2025
Through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which is now on the verge of dissolution, the U.S. had funded 40% of the world’s foreign assistance, including programs designed to combat disease, malnutrition, maternal mortality, totalitarianism, and climate change.
—Belinda Luscombe, Time, 30 Apr. 2025
Forgotten Anne, for example, makes arguments against authoritarianism and totalitarianism.
—G Kirilloff, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for totalitarianism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for totalitarianism
Noun
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The guitar, by transitive property, broke down racial and class barriers, fought tyranny, freed up minds and bodies.—
Nick Paumgarten,
New Yorker,
19 May 2025
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The Founding Fathers, having witnessed the abuses of centralized power under British rule, embedded this model into the Constitution to ensure a system of checks and balances, where each branch could limit the powers of the others, safeguarding against tyranny and upholding the rule of law.—
Andy J. Semotiuk,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2025
Noun
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Andor is an amazing work of art, not just as a Star Wars show but as an overall series with incredible writing, acting, production values and a relevant take on the rise of fascism.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2025
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The long arm of fascism has stretched all the way to this year’s Cannes Film Festival, where, quite suddenly, nobody is allowed to be naked on the red carpet anymore.—
Rachel Handler,
Vulture,
13 May 2025
Noun
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For instance, during Rafael Trujillo’s dictatorship in the Dominican Republic from 1930 to 1961, the head of intelligence, Johnny Abbes, was plucked from obscurity in Mexico and in 1958 began to lead the dictator’s repression machine.—
Erica Frantz,
The Conversation,
16 May 2025
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In the Soviet dictatorship, this was meant literally: engineers and senior managers in charge of color film production would be denounced, arrested, and executed during the Great Purges of 1937–1838.—
Matthew Wills,
JSTOR Daily,
15 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Totalitarianism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/totalitarianism. Accessed 27 May. 2025.
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