WordValetotalitarian
controlling every aspect of public and private life
In more detail
1. (adjective) relating to a system of government in which the ruler or ruling group has complete power and controls all aspects of people's lives, including what they think and do
2. (adjective) demanding complete obedience and control
Examples
- 1. The totalitarian regime banned all political opposition and controlled the media.
- 2. The coach's totalitarian approach left no room for the players to make their own decisions.
How to use totalitarian
Totalitarian is used formally to describe political systems or rulers exercising absolute control over every aspect of citizens' lives and thought. It carries strong negative connotations and is more technical than synonyms like tyrannical or despotic. The term typically applies to historical or contemporary oppressive regimes rather than everyday contexts.
Common phrases
- totalitarian regime
- totalitarian state
- totalitarian government
- totalitarian control
- totalitarian system
- totalitarian ideology
Synonyms
authoritarian · dictatorial · autocratic · despotic · tyrannical
Opposites
democratic · liberal · free
Word family
totalitarianism (noun) · totalitarian (noun - a person supporting such a system)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes use totalitarian when they simply mean authoritarian or controlling, even if the system does not actually control all aspects of life or thought; totalitarianism represents a specific, extreme form of government rather than mere authoritarianism.
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