totalitarianism

noun

to·​tal·​i·​tar·​i·​an·​ism (ˌ)tō-ˌta-lə-ˈter-ē-ə-ˌni-zəm 

1

: centralized control by an autocratic authority

2

: the political concept that the citizen should be totally subject to an absolute state authority

Synonyms

• absolutism
• autarchy
• authoritarianism
• autocracy
• Caesarism
• czarism
• tsarism
• tzarism
• despotism
• dictatorship
• totalism
• tyranny

Examples of totalitarianism in a Sentence

in times of crisis, when a nation's people are frightened, there are often calls for totalitarianism

Recent Examples on the Web

Rasoulof has talked about purposefully making his films less allegorical as his career has progressed, preferring to present his stories about oppression and totalitarianism plainly, so that his resentments are indisputable. —Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 27 Nov. 2024

Mann understood the appeal of totalitarianism early on. —George Packer, The Atlantic, 5 Nov. 2024

In 1984, Apple released a TV ad suggesting that its new Macintosh would topple Orwellian totalitarianism. —Jill Lepore, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024

In an interview with Variety at the time of the film’s premiere at Cannes, Lawrence explained how the impetus for her involvement came from seeing news of Kabul’s fall and finding similarities to her own home country’s spiral towards totalitarianism. —Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 17 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined at sense 1