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authoritarian

[ uh-thawr-i-tair-ee-uhn, uh-thor- ]
/ É™ĖŒĪøÉ”r ɪˈtɛər i ən, É™ĖŒĪøÉ’r- /
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See synonyms for: authoritarian / authoritarianism on Thesaurus.com

adjective
favoring complete obedience or subjection to authority as opposed to individual freedom: authoritarian principles; authoritarian attitudes.
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.
exercising complete or almost complete control over the will of another or of others: an authoritarian parent.
noun
a person who favors or acts according to authoritarian principles.
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Origin of authoritarian

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

OTHER WORDS FROM authoritarian

auĀ·thorĀ·iĀ·tarĀ·iĀ·anĀ·ism, nounanĀ·tiĀ·auĀ·thorĀ·iĀ·tarĀ·iĀ·an, adjectiveanĀ·tiĀ·auĀ·thorĀ·iĀ·tarĀ·iĀ·anĀ·ism, nounnonĀ·auĀ·thorĀ·iĀ·tarĀ·iĀ·an, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Ā© Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use authoritarian in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for authoritarian

authoritarian
/ (É”ĖĖŒĪøÉ’rɪˈtɛərÉŖÉ™n) /

adjective
favouring, denoting, or characterized by strict obedience to authority
favouring, denoting, or relating to government by a small elite with wide powers
despotic; dictatorial; domineering
noun
a person who favours or practises authoritarian policies

Derived forms of authoritarian

authoritarianism, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition Ā© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 Ā© HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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