Thesaurus results for DISCIPLINARIAN

disciplinarian

noun

Definition of disciplinarian

as in enforcer

a person who is very strict about punishing bad behavior; a person who uses discipline as a way of making sure that rules or orders are obeyed The school's principal is a strict disciplinarian.

Related Words

Relevance

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 disciplinarian Mitevska also refuses to sanctify Mother Teresa more than necessary, instead portraying her as a strict disciplinarian who believed in organizational practicality as much as in the inherent holiness of children. — Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 27 Aug. 2025 Either way, Columbia could more easily identify the protesters, much to the advantage of disciplinarians looking to move fast. — Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 9 May 2025 Both were industrious strivers at work and strict disciplinarians at home. — Danielle Amir Jackson, The Atlantic, 27 Feb. 2025 The 45-year-old wife, accused of being the primary disciplinarian, was sentenced to 12 years in prison, while the 43-year-old husband received a 10-year sentence. — Olivia Lloyd, Miami Herald, 14 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for disciplinarian

Recent Examples of Synonyms for disciplinarian

Noun

Schweihs, who according to authorities spent decades as a reputed enforcer for the mob’s Grand Avenue street crew, died of cancer in 2008 while awaiting trial.

— Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
If Carrick elects to pair Baleba with Mainoo, Baleba can take on the role of hard-running physical enforcer for the academy graduate, allowing Mainoo to focus on ball-progression duties.

— Carl Anka, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of enforcer

Noun

In Aries, the taskmaster’s lessons are centered around independence, initiative and the courage to take the lead.

— Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 6 Aug. 2026
She is thrown into isolation before getting the opportunity to once again assimilate, Marc is a genuine taskmaster, but a dedicated defender publicly and to the cops about the legitimacy of his operation and its residents.

— Pete Hammond, Deadline, 15 May 2026

Definition of taskmaster

Noun

And the solution is simply to replace the corrupt, racist authoritarian with a governing party that respects the rule of law, equality, and basic decency.

— Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2026
Erdoğan has undoubtedly turned into a full-blooded authoritarian, cracking down on his opposition at home while waging dubious wars overseas.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 July 2026

Definition of authoritarian

Noun

Following the capture of Madura, who was widely labeled a dictator, Delcy Rodríguez, the country’s vice president under him, was sworn in as Venezuela's new interim president.

— Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
Until late August, however, the country had not been very unified or stable for 15 years, even after the ouster of a dictator in 2024.

— The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of dictator

Browse Nearby Words

disciplinable

disciplinarian

disciplinarians

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Disciplinarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disciplinarian. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of disciplinarian

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

recalcitrant

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes