TOTALISM Synonyms: 31 Similar and Opposite Words

totalism

noun

ˈtō-tᵊl-ˌi-zəm

Definition of totalism

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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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

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

Those who advocate for and support communism, fascism and national socialism might do well to remember that millions fled those countries governed by the aforementioned ideologies for America, the good, ol’ USA.

— Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 25 Aug. 2026
The city is most associated with two things, European high culture and the rise of fascism.

— ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 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

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
Together with his lover Madame de Staël and their circle, Constant arrived at the idea—not in direct response to the Königsberg scandal but in response to the moralizing public absolutism of the age—that liberty required privacy to flourish.

— Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 17 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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“Totalism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/totalism. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of totalism

noun

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