variants
also tsarist
or tzarist
as in oppressive
exercising power or authority without interference by others
the trustees felt that the university needed a strong, czarist leader who could propel it to world-class status
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of czarist
In Russia, czarist monuments were replaced by statues of Communist leaders, which in turn were torn down — statues of Stalin also fell in Hungary, Georgia and Albania.
—
Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
Compared to their forerunners in the tsarist era, with their party congresses held abroad, their executive committees, and their active recruitment in imperial Russia’s universities, Soviet dissidents remained a comparatively small and informal conglomeration of activists.
—Benjamin Nathans
september 24, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2025
Since tsarist times, Russia has ensured Armenia’s loyalty by promising to defend it against the Ottoman Empire (and then against its successor, Turkey) with sustained military support.
—Thomas De Waal, Foreign Affairs, 22 Sep. 2025
Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
Compared to their forerunners in the tsarist era, with their party congresses held abroad, their executive committees, and their active recruitment in imperial Russia’s universities, Soviet dissidents remained a comparatively small and informal conglomeration of activists.
—Benjamin Nathans
september 24, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2025
Since tsarist times, Russia has ensured Armenia’s loyalty by promising to defend it against the Ottoman Empire (and then against its successor, Turkey) with sustained military support.
—Thomas De Waal, Foreign Affairs, 22 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for czarist
Adjective
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The story began with Joel (Pedro Pascal), a hardened survivor, getting hired to smuggle Ellie (Bella Ramsey), a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
11 June 2026
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But amid all the oppressive government’s inculcation in the name of plummeting birthrates, girls will be girls.—
Jennifer Maas,
Variety,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
How the inextricable combinations of lyrical narratives and distortion-addled arrangements served as salient commentaries on authoritarian power and artificial intelligence, as well as science denialism, knee-bending capitulation and unrestrained wealth.—
Bob Gendron,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Aug. 2025
-
Critics have called it an unnecessary authoritarian takeover of the District, which has seen its crime statistics fall in recent years.—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The anniversary feels arbitrary to Tran, a math teacher.—
Terry Tang,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
-
Instead, falling gas tax revenues are replaced by a collection of arbitrary fees, sending no clear message to motorists.—
George Liebmann,
Baltimore Sun,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
Indeed, the King would later establish the Instrument of Foundation of the Royal Academy as a more autocratic counterpart.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
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Putin was also at the parade, with the three autocratic leaders putting on an unprecedented show of unity.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
5 June 2026
Adjective
-
The Academy rules work for countries with democratic governments but not for countries with despotic regimes.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
4 May 2026
-
Hard to Be a God is about a planet that has not been allowed to advance beyond the Middle Ages, and descended into a filthy, despotic, and violent world.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Independence for the 13 colonies was in the interest of anyone, anywhere, who believed the only remedy for tyrannical authority was for people to govern themselves.—
Michael Kazin,
The Atlantic,
3 June 2026
-
However, to embrace his destiny Adam must become He-Man, return to his home planet, reclaim the Sword of Power and save his people from the tyrannical Skeletor.—
Stephen Schaefer,
Boston Herald,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
These tyrannous tabbies don’t understand that canning is not exclusively for wet food.—
Julie Klausner,
Vulture,
27 Dec. 2024
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Indeed, Daniel Roher’s pulse-pumping documentary about the Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has all the ingredients: a mysterious case of near-fatal poisoning, a web of for-hire hoodlums, Vladimir Putin as the tyrannous leader behind it all.—
Tomris Laffly,
Harper's BAZAAR,
1 Feb. 2022
Adjective
-
Perhaps, no seriously, this is the continuation of the overshadowing dictatorial style coming from Washington, as evidenced flowing through the Paramount takeover of CBS and the subsequent displacement of other highly qualified CBS talent.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
7 June 2026
-
Leavitt also pointed to rhetoric from Democrats and others in the media, claiming that their rhetoric accusing the president of being a dictatorial figure contributed to an environment that inspired political violence.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Czarist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/czarist. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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