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

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

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

Etymology

Origin of authoritarian

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

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

But in an authoritarian state this is putting your head above the parapet.

From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026

Leaders of the four countries he visited have all been criticised -- in varying degrees -- for authoritarian tendencies.

From Barron's • Apr. 23, 2026

Freedom House, which rates political rights and civil liberties worldwide, ranks Eritrea and North Korea side-by-side as two of the most authoritarian countries in the world.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026

A general finding is that while structural weakness in authoritarian institutions can contribute to democratic transitions, it is insufficient.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026

In 1959, a rebel force led by Fidel Castro had overthrown the Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista, an authoritarian leader supported by the United States and by the many American companies doing business on the island.

From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau

Related Words

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