Adjacent Words

absolutism definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: dominance through threat of punishment and violence [syn: absolutism, tyranny, despotism]
2: a form of government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator (not restricted by a constitution or laws or opposition etc.) [syn: dictatorship, absolutism, authoritarianism, Caesarism, despotism, monocracy, one-man rule, shogunate, Stalinism, totalitarianism, tyranny]
3: the principle of complete and unrestricted power in government [syn: absolutism, totalitarianism, totalism]
4: the doctrine of an absolute being

Merriam Webster's

noun Date: 1830 1. a. a political theory that absolute power should be vested in one or more rulers b. government by an absolute ruler or authority ; despotism 2. advocacy of a rule by absolute standards or principles 3. an absolute standard or principle • absolutist noun or adjective • absolutistic adjective

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. the acceptance of or belief in absolute principles in political, philosophical, ethical or theological matters. Derivatives: absolutist n. & adj.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Absolutism Ab"so*lu`tism, n. 1. The state of being absolute; the system or doctrine of the absolute; the principles or practice of absolute or arbitrary government; despotism. The element of absolutism and prelacy was controlling. --Palfrey. 2. (Theol.) Doctrine of absolute decrees. --Ash.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

1. Absolutism is a political system in which one ruler or leader has complete power and authority over a country. ...royal absolutism. 2. You can refer to someone's beliefs as absolutism if they think that their beliefs are true, right, or relevant in all situations, especially if you think they are wrong to behave in this way. N-UNCOUNT [disapproval] • absolutist This absolutist belief is replaced by an appreciation that rules can vary. ADJ

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. Absoluteness, arbitrariness, despotism, tyranny, autocracy, personal government, Caesarism, the "man on horseback."

Moby Thesaurus

Caesarism, Stalinism, absolute monarchy, absolute power, autarchy, authoritarianism, authority, autocracy, benevolent despotism, bond service, bondage, captivity, competence, competency, constituted authority, control, czarism, debt slavery, delegated authority, deprivation of freedom, despotism, dictatorship, disenfranchisement, disfranchisement, divine right, domination, enslavement, enthrallment, faculty, feudalism, feudality, helotism, helotry, indentureship, indirect authority, inherent authority, jus divinum, kaiserism, lawful authority, legal authority, legitimacy, monarchy, one-man rule, one-party rule, paternalism, peonage, power, prerogative, regality, restraint, right, rightful authority, royal prerogative, serfdom, serfhood, servility, servitude, slavery, subjection, subjugation, the say, the say-so, thrall, thralldom, totalitarianism, tyranny, vassalage, vested authority, vicarious authority, villenage