Skip to content

authoritarian

/əˌθɔɹ.əˈtɛɹ.i.ən/noun, adjective6 syllables

Authoritarian means: characteristic of an absolute ruler or absolute rule; having absolute sovereignty.

Synonyms for authoritarian14

noun, as in a person who behaves in a tyrannical manner

adjective, as in characteristic of an absolute ruler or absolute rule; having absolute sovereignty

autocratic, dictatorial, despotic, tyrannic, tyrannical, undemocratic

adjective, as in expecting unquestioning obedience

dictatorial, overbearing, domineering

also used for authoritarian

bossy, arrogant, commanding, haughty, imperious

Includes material from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.

What does authoritarian mean?3

adjective

1

characteristic of an absolute ruler or absolute rule; having absolute sovereignty“an authoritarian regime”

2

expecting unquestioning obedience“the timid child of authoritarian parents”

noun

1

a person who behaves in a tyrannical manner“my boss is a dictator who makes everyone work overtime”

Definitions from the Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

What rhymes with authoritarian?14

four syllables

bulgarianhungarianlibrarianovarianbarbariansectarianagrarian

five syllables

6 syllables

humanitariantotalitarianegalitarianutilitarian
Show 40 near rhymes

Authoritarian in a sentence

  • If you support racial profiling, you're an authoritarian.shekitten
  • Human rights groups are putting pressure on authoritarian governments.unknown
  • You can't assume that all forms of communism are authoritarian.nonong
  • Strict and inviolable gender roles have been fundamental to authoritarian regimes throughout history.shekitten
  • Algerians are tired of their government's authoritarian behavior.Amastan
  • Algeria has been under the control of a corrupt and authoritarian government.Amastan
  • Algerians are tired of the government's authoritarian behavior.Amastan
  • Algeria is in the grey area between democratic and authoritarian.Amastan

Sentences from Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR, credited to their authors.

Forms of authoritarian

as a noun

plural
authoritarians