authoritarian

adjective

au·​thor·​i·​tar·​i·​an ȯ-ˌthȯr-ə-ˈter-ē-ən 

ə-,

-ˌthär-

1

: of, relating to, or favoring blind submission to authority

had authoritarian parents

2

: of, relating to, or favoring a concentration of power in a leader or an elite not constitutionally responsible to the people

an authoritarian regime

authoritarian noun

authoritarianism

ȯ-ˌthȯr-ə-ˈter-ē-ə-ˌni-zəm 

ə-

-ˌthär-

noun

Synonyms

• authoritative
• autocratic
• autocratical
• bossy
• despotic
• dictatorial
• domineering
• imperious
• masterful
• overbearing
• peremptory
• tyrannical
• tyrannic
• tyrannous

Examples of authoritarian in a Sentence

grew up with an authoritarian older sister who thought she was queen of the world

an authoritarian coach who runs football practice like it's boot camp

Recent Examples on the Web

Autocratic The autocratic style is also known as authoritarian leadership. —Jason Miller, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024

In our age of brutal wars, authoritarian politics, cultures of contempt, and technology that promises to replace us with machines, what is left of the idea of the human being? —George Packer, The Atlantic, 5 Nov. 2024

He's embodied a strongman persona and doubled down on authoritarian rhetoric. —Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2024

By placing natural resources from Pramoedya’s novel in dialogue with the oil barrels of Santalum Album Family, Ade drew a line linking Dutch colonization and Suharto’s more recent extractive policies, showing how authoritarian regimes replay the image of their previous masters. —Hung Duong, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

authority + -arian

First Known Use

1861, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing authoritarian

• anti-authoritarian

Kids Definition

authoritarian

adjective

au·​thor·​i·​tar·​i·​an ȯ-ˌthär-ə-ˈter-ē-ən 

ə-,

-ˌthȯr-

1

: expecting strict obedience to one's authority

had authoritarian parents

2

: based on the principle that the leaders and not the people have the final authority

an authoritarian state

authoritarian noun

authoritarianism

-ē-ə-ˌniz-əm 

noun