totalitarianism — A system of government in which the state holds total control over all aspects of public and private life, and political opposition is not permitted.
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: A system of government in which the state holds total control over all aspects of public and private life, and political opposition is not permitted.
Pronunciation (IPA): /toʊˌtæləˈtɛriəˌnɪzəm/
Example Sentences
- My mom's rule about my phone is basically totalitarianism—she checks every single text!
- George Orwell's novel '1984' is a famous warning against totalitarianism.
- The professor explained how totalitarianism differs from ordinary dictatorship.
totalitarianism
NOUN[/toʊˌtæləˈtɛriəˌnɪzəm/]
A system of government in which the state holds total control over all aspects of public and private life, and political opposition is not permitted.

Under totalitarianism, one giant portrait watches every citizen in the square.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Italian 'totalitario', derived from Latin 'totus' meaning 'whole' or 'entire', first used to describe Mussolini's fascist regime in the 1920s.
Breakdown
tot- (whole, entire) + -al (adjective suffix) + -itarian (relating to, believing in) + -ism (system, doctrine)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My mom's rule about my phone is basically totalitarianism—she checks every single text!”
“George Orwell's novel '1984' is a famous warning against totalitarianism.”
“The professor explained how totalitarianism differs from ordinary dictatorship.”
“In some video games, players build a totalitarian society to win, which feels oddly satisfying.”
📚Related Words
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