authoritarian

Circa 1880 authority +‎ -arian

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ɔːˌθɒɹ.ɪˈtɛə̯.ɹɪən/

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• (General American) IPA^(key): /əˌθɔɹ.əˈtɛɹ.i.ən/, /ɔˌθɔɹ.əˈtɛɹ.i.ən/

  • Audio (US):

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authoritarian (comparative more authoritarian, superlative most authoritarian)

1. Of, or relating to, or exhibiting strict obedience to an authority; favoring authoritarianism over civic and individual liberties.

   the authoritarian personality

2. Demanding obedience to authority; marked by authoritarianism; dictatorial, tyrannical.

   The authoritarian government was demanding stricter laws for low-wage peasants.

   • 2020 March 14, “What Did the Sudden Fall of the Berlin Wall Tell Us?”, in Minghui‎^[1]:

     It may be that precisely due to its weak nature, an authoritarian dictatorship needs rampant violence and lies to maintain its rule.

   • 2022, “September 25, 2022”, in Mainland Affairs Council‎^[2], archived from the original on 04 March 2023, Chronology:

     Wang Yi blatantly intimidates the world at the UNGA. He is a cheat and bully on the global stage in fundamental violation of the facts. Democratic countries should clearly recognize and unify against the challenge of authoritarian intervention. The Republic of China is a sovereign state. Taiwan has never been part of the People's Republic of China in historical fact, international law, or reality.

3. Tending to impose one's demands upon others as if one were an authority.

• (strictly obedient, supportive of obedience): See Thesaurus:bossy
• (demanding strict obedience): See Thesaurus:bossy
• (tending to impose one's demands): arrogant, commanding, haughty, imperious
• See also Thesaurus:bossy

• (antonym(s) of “characterised by a tyrannical obedience to an authority”): democratic, liberal
• (antonym(s) of “tending to impose one's demands”): servile, humble, modest

authoritarian (plural authoritarians)

1. One who commands absolute obedience to his or her authority.

   The dictator was an authoritarian.

   • 2020 April 14, Quinta Jurecic, Benjamin Wittes, “Being an Actual Authoritarian Is Too Much Work for Trump”, in The Atlantic‎^[3]:

     Trump may be a Schmittian by instinct and aspiration, but he’s a fair-weather Schmittian only. A true authoritarian, confronted by limits on his power, might have ripped through them in service of establishing his authority.

2. One who follows and is excessively obedient to authority.

• “authoritarian”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
• “authoritarian”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.