Meaning & use
an authoritarian government
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Meaning
nouncountable
A system of government that demands strict obedience to authority and limits personal freedom.
Grammar: Used as a countable noun phrase; can be preceded by 'an' or 'the' and modified by adjectives.
Patterns
- under an authoritarian government
- an authoritarian government controls something
- oppose an authoritarian government
The country was ruled by an authoritarian government that suppressed free speech.
Citizens protested against the authoritarian government's new restrictions.
An authoritarian government often controls the media and the courts.
Word forms
| plural | authoritarian governments |
|---|
Common combinations
- authoritarian regime
- The authoritarian regime jailed journalists who criticized the leader.
- authoritarian rule
- Decades of authoritarian rule left little room for political opposition.
- authoritarian leader
- The authoritarian leader refused to hold free elections.
- authoritarian state
- In an authoritarian state, the police can arrest people without a warrant.
Synonyms and how they differ
- dictatorial
- Dictatorial emphasizes rule by a single dictator; authoritarian is broader and can apply to any strict, controlling government.
- totalitarian
- Totalitarian is more extreme, meaning the government controls almost every aspect of life; authoritarian is less absolute.
- repressive
- Repressive focuses on the harsh suppression of freedom; authoritarian focuses on the concentration of power.
Opposites
Word family
- authoritarianism noun
- The practice or system of authoritarian government.
- authoritarian adjective
- Describing a person or system that demands strict obedience.
- authority noun
- The power to give orders and make decisions.
Commonly confused: an authoritarian government or authoritative?
an authoritarian government vs authoritative
Authoritative means reliable and respected, not controlling. An authoritative book is trustworthy; an authoritarian government is controlling.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'authoritarian government' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Authoritarian governments typically suppress opposition and limit freedoms. Options A, C, and D describe democratic behavior, which contradicts the meaning of 'authoritarian'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “an authoritarian government”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.