czarist

American  

[zahr-ist, tsahr-] / ˈzɑr ɪst, ˈtsɑr- /

Or tsarist,

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of a czar or the system and principles of government under a czar.

2. autocratic; dictatorial.

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noun

1. an adherent of a czar or of czarism.

czarist British  

/ ˈzɑːrɪst /

adjective

1. a variant spelling (esp US) of tsarist See tsarism

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Etymology

Origin of czarist

czar + -ist

Example Sentences

Some of Gustav and Julia’s children become communist activists, leading shadowy lives on the run from the czarist police, while others are pillars of society, becoming lawyers or marrying doctors.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 7, 2026

Some Jewish families can trace their roots here back more than 350 years, having fled pogroms in czarist Russia and the aftermath of the Catholic Inquisition in Spain and Portugal.

From Washington Times • Nov. 19, 2023

Dan Bilefsky was in Castlegar, British Columbia, to tell the story of how the invasion of Ukraine has prompted soul searching among the Doukhobors, a pacifist religious group that emigrated to Canada from czarist Russia.

From New York Times • Jun. 10, 2023

Lefortovo prison, where American journalist Evan Gershkovich has been jailed on espionage charges, dates from the czarist era and has been a terrifying symbol of repression since Soviet times.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 31, 2023

He could speak at length about the struggle between Britain and czarist Russia over Afghanistan.

From "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini