authoritarian

1 of 2

adjective

au·​thor·​i·​tar·​i·​an ȯ-ˌthȯr-ə-ˈter-ē-ən How to pronounce authoritarian (audio)
ə-, 
-ˌthär-
Synonyms of authoritarian
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 How to pronounce authoritarian (audio)
ə-, 
-ˌthär-
noun

authoritarianism

2 of 2

noun

au·​thor·​i·​tar·​i·​an·​ism ȯ-ˌthär-ə-ˈter-ē-ə-ˌni-zəm How to pronounce authoritarianism (audio) ə- How to pronounce authoritarianism (audio)
-ˌthȯr-
plural -s
: an authoritarian system : authoritarian principles

Synonyms of authoritarian

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Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of authoritarian in a Sentence

Adjective 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
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.
Adjective
The Gwangju Biennale was founded in 1994 to commemorate the 1980 Gwangju Uprising, during which hundreds of civilians were killed during a protest against the authoritarian military government’s brutal crackdown on civil rights. — Vivienne Chow, ARTnews.com, 20 Aug. 2026 These leaders ascended to the international stage with a mixture of macho populism and a Trumpian right-wing, authoritarian aesthetic. — Daniel Castro, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2026 The island’s very existence—a prosperous, democratic Chinese society integrated with the West—offers a stinging rebuke to the claim that authoritarian rule is uniquely suited to the Chinese people. — Charlie Campbell, Time, 11 Aug. 2026 The reason is that protesters fear that the Republic of Georgia will continue following an authoritarian path similar to Russia’s, crushing their hopes and dreams of being another Western-style democracy that is a member of NATO and the EU. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for authoritarian

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

authority + -arian

First Known Use

Adjective

1861, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1868, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of authoritarian was in 1861

Phrases Containing authoritarian

Rhymes for authoritarian

See All Rhymes for authoritarian

Browse Nearby Words

authorisation
authoritarian
authoritarianism
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Authoritarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/authoritarian. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

authoritarian

adjective
au·​thor·​i·​tar·​i·​an ȯ-ˌthär-ə-ˈter-ē-ən How to pronounce authoritarian (audio)
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 How to pronounce authoritarian (audio)
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on authoritarian

Nglish: Translation of authoritarian for Spanish Speakers

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