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
Synonyms
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
Since the pandemic, people fleeing stuttering economies, climate change, crime and authoritarian governments have flocked to the US southern border, a CBP spokesperson told CNN – nearly all those journeys were facilitated by criminal groups.
—
Caitlin Stephen Hu, CNN, 24 June 2024
On Thursday, June 13, Steel called the high-profile prosecution an authoritarian absurdity after being held in contempt for similar complaints earlier in the week.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 21 June 2024
At the extreme are the weary authoritarian regimes still proclaiming revolution in Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua.
—Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, 17 June 2024
In regards to facing growing authoritarian trends, how does Eleni react?
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 17 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for authoritarian 
Caitlin Stephen Hu, CNN, 24 June 2024
On Thursday, June 13, Steel called the high-profile prosecution an authoritarian absurdity after being held in contempt for similar complaints earlier in the week.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 21 June 2024
At the extreme are the weary authoritarian regimes still proclaiming revolution in Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua.
—Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, 17 June 2024
In regards to facing growing authoritarian trends, how does Eleni react?
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 17 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for authoritarian
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'authoritarian.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near authoritarian
Cite this Entry
“Authoritarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/authoritarian. Accessed 1 Jul. 2024.
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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