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
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
The authoritarian manosphere is organized around a hierarchy topped by heroic male warriors.
—
Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 4 Mar. 2025
The futuristic worlds that she’s created reflect that, from the dark and dismal cityscapes to the authoritarian prisoner ships run entirely by soulless robots.
—Kyle Wilson, Rolling Stone, 4 Mar. 2025
Fragile post-conflict governments often struggle to maintain popular support, and without a strong commitment to justice and accountability, there is a real risk that authoritarian tendencies will resurface.
—Patrick Vinck, Foreign Affairs, 4 Mar. 2025
Working through proxies like the Africa Corps (the new name of the infamous Wagner paramilitary group), Russia has played a critical role in bolstering assorted military juntas and authoritarian regimes.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for authoritarian
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Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 4 Mar. 2025
The futuristic worlds that she’s created reflect that, from the dark and dismal cityscapes to the authoritarian prisoner ships run entirely by soulless robots.
—Kyle Wilson, Rolling Stone, 4 Mar. 2025
Fragile post-conflict governments often struggle to maintain popular support, and without a strong commitment to justice and accountability, there is a real risk that authoritarian tendencies will resurface.
—Patrick Vinck, Foreign Affairs, 4 Mar. 2025
Working through proxies like the Africa Corps (the new name of the infamous Wagner paramilitary group), Russia has played a critical role in bolstering assorted military juntas and authoritarian regimes.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for authoritarian
Cite this Entry
“Authoritarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/authoritarian. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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