as in tyranny
a system of government in which the ruler has unlimited power
a critical period that saw a number of third-world countries abandon authoritarianism for democracy
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Recent Examples of authoritarianism
Garber’s book offers reason to think that the decline of reading and the rise of authoritarianism are twinned forms of disempowerment.
—
Charlie Tyson, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes takes the reader back in time to examine the state of nature debate and the origins of authoritarianism versus democratic forms of government.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
Featuring Luca Marinelli’s captivating performance, the miniseries examines the allure of authoritarianism and the corrupting nature of absolute power, a timely reflection on political dynamics.
—Patrick Hipes, Deadline, 23 Apr. 2026
Countries that tried to adopt Western-style democracy quickly after the Arab Spring largely failed, often descending into chaos, civil war or new forms of authoritarianism.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2026
President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who has been accused of widespread corruption and authoritarianism in his four-decade rule, comes from Mongomo and the city has benefited from government investment and infrastructure, even though no official institutions are located here.
—Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
The former Spanish colony on Africa’s western coast is run by the continent's longest-serving president, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who has been accused of widespread corruption and authoritarianism.
—ABC News, 21 Apr. 2026
The themes of authoritarianism and overpowering violent governments are very present.
—Ellise Shafer, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
First, in conditions short of absolute authoritarianism, as long as elections are still happening, ousting a wannabe dictator is possible.
—Elizabeth Shackelford, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026
Charlie Tyson, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes takes the reader back in time to examine the state of nature debate and the origins of authoritarianism versus democratic forms of government.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
Featuring Luca Marinelli’s captivating performance, the miniseries examines the allure of authoritarianism and the corrupting nature of absolute power, a timely reflection on political dynamics.
—Patrick Hipes, Deadline, 23 Apr. 2026
Countries that tried to adopt Western-style democracy quickly after the Arab Spring largely failed, often descending into chaos, civil war or new forms of authoritarianism.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2026
President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who has been accused of widespread corruption and authoritarianism in his four-decade rule, comes from Mongomo and the city has benefited from government investment and infrastructure, even though no official institutions are located here.
—Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
The former Spanish colony on Africa’s western coast is run by the continent's longest-serving president, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who has been accused of widespread corruption and authoritarianism.
—ABC News, 21 Apr. 2026
The themes of authoritarianism and overpowering violent governments are very present.
—Ellise Shafer, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
First, in conditions short of absolute authoritarianism, as long as elections are still happening, ousting a wannabe dictator is possible.
—Elizabeth Shackelford, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for authoritarianism
Noun
-
So concluded one of the finest chapters in our history, as the United States saved Western Europe from a diabolical tyranny.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
1 May 2026
-
In How to Be a Dissident, Beckerman draws on the stories of dissidents from around the globe and across time, to provide models for pushing back against tyranny.—
The Atlantic,
The Atlantic,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
Anti-dictatorship, but for kids Serkis scrubs the story of its violence, at least in any graphic manner.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
-
In a nation that has long prided itself on a free and vibrant news media, rights watchdogs and lawmakers from across the political spectrum denounced the move as an attack on the press without precedent since the end of Argentina’s military dictatorship in 1983.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
It was penned to expose the mechanics of corruption at a point in time when Orwell believed the issue of fascism was of the utmost urgency.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Our militaries fought and won in two World Wars for liberty and against fascism.—
Stephen Doughty,
Boston Herald,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
If Magyar fails to fix the system and deliver results, a return to autocracy would be likely.—
Elizabeth Shackelford,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Since 2021, the state has been grappling with slowing economic output, weaning itself off a property market bubble, and trying to find a balance between promoting a free market and stock exchange within a one-party autocracy.—
Joseph Wilkins,Sean Conlon,
CNBC,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
While the Russian government has taken steps in the past to acknowledge the culpability of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin and his regime, some Russian-language commentators see the display as a massive step back toward denying the crimes of totalitarianism.—
Nathan Hodge,
CNN Money,
16 Apr. 2026
-
American freedom was the antidote to the icy grip of totalitarianism, whether from Nazis or Communists.—
Peter S. Canellos,
The Atlantic,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Eight decades later, as nations inch toward despotism, an art animated by democratic impulses makes a stronger case for itself.—
Judith Shulevitz,
The Atlantic,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The hope is that the institutional reforms started by the interim administration of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus deliver the necessary checks and balances to avert another lurch toward despotism.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Authoritarianism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/authoritarianism. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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