Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Authoritarianism, oligarchy, and racism were symptoms rather than causes.

From Slate • May 1, 2026

Scott Hershovitz writes: “Millions have died of Covid-19. Authoritarianism is on the rise, abroad and at home. And now there’s war, with all the death, destruction and dislocation that entails.”

From New York Times • May 21, 2022

Authoritarianism, as it is operationalized here using five questions that were reduced from the original version of the scale, likely does not fit neatly into a particular political party.

From Scientific American • Nov. 5, 2020

Democracy ensures “broad protection of civil liberties, including freedom of speech, press, and association,” as Levitsky and Lucan A. Way outline in “Competitive Authoritarianism: Hybrid Regimes After the Cold War.”

From Washington Post • Sep. 7, 2018

Authoritarianism The first of the five factors Skinner cited was authoritarianism, “That was a big buzzword in social science back in the ’40s and ’50s,” he said.

From Salon • Sep. 29, 2015