1
as in disciplinarians
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2
as in dictators
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Recent Examples of authoritarians
Not your grandma’s authoritarians Today’s authoritarian rulers realize that civil society has the potential to support democracy and pry loose their grip on power.
—
Christopher Justin Einolf, The Conversation, 26 Sep. 2025
Christopher Justin Einolf, The Conversation, 26 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for authoritarians
Noun
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Even under military threat, many dictators and authoritarian leaders — Saddam Hussein in Iraq, Slobodan Milosevic in Serbia, Bashar al-Assad in Syria and earlier this year, Maduro in Venezuela — have chosen resistance until the last minute.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
23 Apr. 2026
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Years later, as Ukraine fights a war to defend its democracy — to preserve a state where institutions serve the people rather than dictators, where the press remains independent, and where citizens can shape the politics around them — the contrast between the two countries is striking.—
Nataliya Gumenyuk,
The Dial,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The world is being ravaged by a handful of tyrants.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
19 Apr. 2026
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Ready to meet the season's new allies, enemies, tyrants, and giants?—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The rise of the grammar sticklers Many of today’s ideas about what constitutes correct English are based on a singular – often mistaken – 19th-century view of the forces that govern our language.—
Valerie M. Fridland,
The Conversation,
21 Apr. 2026
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Yes, some sticklers would insist that greatly should never stand between to and excel.—
Jake Lundberg,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Thus, to be real peace-makers, whether Christian or not, responsible leaders need to be aware that the approach of pacifism often paves the way for dictators and despots to inflict more and more violence.—
Bill Keane,
Hartford Courant,
15 Mar. 2026
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These despots will continue to lash out at America.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Work is work, and there’s writerly reward, too, in daily encounters with a diverse range of taskmasters across all social groups.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Edward, known for his strong piety, is also distinguished as one of the few English kings to be canonized.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
25 Apr. 2026
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People too often imagine the Church as having played second fiddle in colonial history, jumping on opportunities opened up by the actions of kings, navigators, and merchants.—
Tim Brinkhof,
JSTOR Daily,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Authoritarians.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/authoritarians. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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