authoritarian

Etymology

Definitions

1. 1

   Of, or relating to, or exhibiting strict obedience to an authority

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

   • the authoritarian personality
2. 2

   Demanding obedience to authority

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

   • The authoritarian government was demanding stricter laws for low-wage peasants.
   • […] (selling one’s personal activity under another’s direction and supervision encourages dependency and authoritarian relationships);[…]
3. 3

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

4. ›+ 2 more definitionsshow fewer

   1. 4

      One who commands absolute obedience to his or her authority.

      • The dictator was an authoritarian.
      • 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. 5

      One who follows and is excessively obedient to authority.

The neighborhood

• synonymbossystrictly obedient, supportive of obedience
• antonymdemocraticantonym(s) of “characterised by a tyrannical obedience to an authority”
• antonymliberalantonym(s) of “characterised by a tyrannical obedience to an authority”
• antonymservileantonym(s) of “tending to impose one's demands”
• antonymhumbleantonym(s) of “tending to impose one's demands”
• antonymmodestantonym(s) of “tending to impose one's demands”