totalism

noun

ˈtō-tᵊl-ˌi-zəm How to pronounce totalism (audio)
Definition of totalismnext
as in tyranny
a system of government in which the ruler has unlimited power warned that forfeiture of civil liberties for the sake of security would only result in the terror of totalism

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of totalism Common sense and a mania for systematization, logical thinking and ideological totalism, are constantly at war in the French character, as a belief in instant happiness and a paranoia about imaginary enemies are in the American. — Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 11 Apr. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for totalism
  1. tyranny
  2. fascism
  3. dictatorship
  4. totalitarianism
  5. absolutism
  6. authoritarianism
Noun
  • Now, researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have thwarted that tyranny even more profoundly, by devising an ultra-fast way to steer light, using light itself as the steering wheel.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 20 Aug. 2026
  • While Queen Romana projected the image of a supreme ruler who alternated between benevolence and tyranny, Didulo the person was all too human.
    — Zander Sherman, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of tyranny
Noun
  • And yet, amid their country’s slide into fascism, these folks persisted — for a while longer, at least.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The film starts in Paris but Taro’s story begins in her native Leipzig in 1932, where Gerta Pohorylle, as she is then known, is a young woman whose political conscience is awakened by the rise of fascism.
    — Damon Wise, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of fascism
Noun
  • In 2021, the SAF and RSF worked together to overthrow the civilian Cabinet that was overseeing Sudan’s transition to democracy after 30 years of dictatorship under Omar al-Bashir.
    — Mat Nashed, Christian Science Monitor, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Not by tightening the siege on Iran directly, but by tightening the siege on those who help this regime, this terrible dictatorship.
    — Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of dictatorship
Noun
  • Visual artist and historian Ranfis Suárez Ramos highlighted the importance of internet access for Cubans as a way to break the hold of totalitarianism.
    — Sarah Moreno June 5, Miami Herald, 6 June 2026
  • His parents’ experience living under totalitarianism shaped his outlook on the world.
    — Iris Kwok May 12, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Definition of totalitarianism
Noun
  • Their agenda was backward-looking, morally coercive, and steeped in righteous absolutism.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The meta story of Life of M’s creation — how Cusk ignored decorum in favor of artistic absolutism — is perhaps the most intriguing element of this saga.
    — Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of absolutism
Noun
  • Another speaker drew attention to the alarming rise of authoritarianism in the United States.
    — David Pollak, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The Gao Brothers, whose works addressed themes of authoritarianism and censorship, became famous in a time of relative openness in China and were exhibited both inside the country and abroad.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of authoritarianism

Browse Nearby Words

totaling
totalism
totalitarian
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Cite this Entry

“Totalism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/totalism. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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