Definition of AUTHORITARIAN (original) (raw)
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
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
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.
Serbia’s authoritarian leader should be riding high, lifted by economic growth that is four times the European average, falling unemployment and steadily rising wages. —Andrew Higgins, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2025 Trump’s decision will force many civil-society organizations in Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, El Salvador and other Latin American authoritarian countries to shut down or drastically reduce their operations, leaders of some of these groups told me. —
Andres Oppenheimer, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2025 Then, as is usual here, the cast contains a sprinkling of musical-theater aces: Greg Hildreth, a pro at welding smarm and actual charm, strolls out as our narrator, the cheerily authoritarian Office Lockstock. —
Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 7 Feb. 2025 Amid the authoritarian typhoon of Donald Trump’s first month in office, the Democratic Party is attempting to position itself as the front line of anti-MAGA resistance. —
Samantha Riedel, Them, 7 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for authoritarian
Word History
First Known Use
1861, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of authoritarian was in 1861
Dictionary Entries Near authoritarian
Cite this Entry
“Authoritarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/authoritarian. Accessed 14 Feb. 2025.
Share
More from Merriam-Webster on authoritarian
Last Updated: 11 Feb 2025 - Updated example sentences
Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!