authoritarian

American  

[uh-thawr-i-tair-ee-uhn, uh-thor-] / əˌθɔr ɪˈtɛər i ən, əˌθɒr- /

adjective

1. favoring complete obedience or subjection to authority as opposed to individual freedom.

   authoritarian principles; authoritarian attitudes.

2. of or relating to a governmental or political system, principle, or practice in which individual freedom is held as completely subordinate to the power or authority of the state, centered either in one person or a small group that is not constitutionally accountable to the people.

3. exercising complete or almost complete control over the will of another or of others.

   an authoritarian parent.

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noun

• authoritarians
  plural

1. a person who favors or acts according to authoritarian principles.

authoritarian British  

/ ɔːˌθɒrɪˈtɛərɪən /

adjective

1. favouring, denoting, or characterized by strict obedience to authority

2. favouring, denoting, or relating to government by a small elite with wide powers

3. despotic; dictatorial; domineering

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noun

1. a person who favours or practises authoritarian policies

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• antiauthoritarianism
  noun
• authoritarianism
  noun
• antiauthoritarian
  adjective
• nonauthoritarian
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• authoritarians
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of authoritarian

First recorded in 1875–80; authorit(y) + -arian

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Explanation

If your teacher orders you to detention every time you show up to class with a dull pencil, you could probably describe her as an authoritarian — a ruler who prefers order to freedom. Authoritarian and authority both begin with author, which comes from an ancient Latin word meaning "master," "teacher," or "leader." The connection between authoritarian and master is obvious enough, and you can think of an author as the master of the fictional world she creates. Authoritarian is also an adjective. That teacher with the rule against dull pencils? You can use the noun form to say that she's an authoritarian, or you can use an adjective and skip the "an": "She's authoritarian."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

authoritarian authoritarians

Mr. Huang points out that the most authoritarian Chinese leaders, including Mao Zedong and Mr. Xi, have a far worse economic record than the relatively liberal Deng and his immediate successors.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

“It’s a sick, authoritarian dance,” she told a reporter, “but I loved it.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026

Known for wearing a cowboy hat and displaying his military medals, Ravalomanana was viewed by protesters as a symbol of authoritarian power.

From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026

But some participants welcomed the dialogue as a rare instance of open debate in a country accustomed to authoritarian rule.

From Barron's ● Aug. 31, 2026

Everywhere it reflected the authoritarian spandrels of his character, from its surfeit of policemen to its strict rules against picking flowers.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

Thanks to Judge Charles Ouslander for his asylum ruling, which shows the U.S. can still be a beacon for liberty and a refuge for dissidents from the world’s cruel authoritarians.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 28, 2026

"Of course, authoritarians don't like to be laughed at," he says.

From BBC ● Dec. 27, 2025

Stanley said history is full of examples of people not believing the rhetoric of authoritarians.

From Seattle Times ● May 31, 2024

“It also sends a strong message to authoritarians around the world that the free world remains united,” he said.

From Washington Times ● Dec. 15, 2023

We are not authoritarians, but we must be organizers.

From Violence and the Labor Movement by Robert Hunter

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Related Words

• autocratic
• dictatorial
• imperious
• rigid
• strict
• totalitarian
• tyrannical

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