authoritarian
[adjective]
Synonyms:
- strict, autocratic, dictatorial, doctrinaire, dogmatic, severe, tyrannical
[noun]
Synonyms:
- disciplinarian, absolutist, autocrat, despot, dictator, tyrant

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Antonyms: libertarian, anarchistic, democratic
Related Words: heavy-handed, high-handed, oppressive, strict, stringent, fascistic, nazi, patriarchal

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English Thesaurus: strict, firm, tough, stern, harsh, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

au‧thor‧i‧tar‧i‧an /ɔːˌθɒrəˈteəriən◂, ɔːˌθɒrɪˈteəriən◂ $ ɒːˌθɑːrəˈter-, əˌθɔː-/ adjective
[Word Family: noun: authority, authorization, authoritarian, authoritarianism; adjective: authoritarian, authoritative, authorized ≠ unauthorized; verb: authorize; adverb: authoritatively]
strictly forcing people to obey a set of rules or laws, especially ones that are wrong or unfair:
an authoritarian government
Critics claim his management has become too authoritarian.
—authoritarian noun [countable]
—authoritarianism noun [uncountable]

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

authoritarian
adj
VERBS be | become
ADV. highly, very | increasingly | rather

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

strict expecting people to obey rules or to do what you say – used especially about parents, teachers, or organizations:
Our teachers were very strict.
Most schools are quite strict about the way students dress.
firm showing that you are in control of the situation and will not change your opinion, especially when you are telling someone what to do:
You have to be firm with young children.
I’ll be firm with him and tell him he can’t have any more money.
tough determined that your orders or decisions will be obeyed, especially in order to make sure that a situation improves – used especially when you think that someone is right to be strict:
We need a government that is tough on crime.
She can be quite tough with her students, but they respect her for it.
The chancellor has got to be tough and keep government spending down.
stern strict in a serious, disapproving, and rather unfriendly way:
Her grandfather was a stern man who rarely smiled.
Sheila walked into the museum, under the stern gaze of the curator.
harsh punishing or criticizing someone in a way that seems very severe, often too severe:
Don’t be too harsh on her – she’s only a child.
It may seem harsh to punish him, but he has to learn that this kind of behaviour is unacceptable.
Her reaction to the child’s bad behaviour was unnecessarily harsh.
authoritarian disapproving very strict about forcing people to obey rules or laws, and punishing them very severely if they fail to do this – used about people and governments:
Her father was very authoritarian and insisted on total obedience.
an authoritarian government
tight tight controls or limits are very strict about what is allowed and what is not allowed:
The report recommends tighter controls on the advertising of alcohol.
There are tight regulations governing waste disposal.
stringent controlling what people can do with rules that have very high standards:
There are now stringent controls on pollution from all power stations.
stringent new food safety regulations

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲