police state

NOUN

totalitarian rule

Synonyms

WEAK

brute force despotism rule of terror totalitarian government totalitarian regime totalitarianism

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Here, it justifies the creation of a dystopian, paranoid police state because it will make it easier to find someone’s lost dog.

From Slate • Feb. 8, 2026

It is a plan that admits the realities of life in a police state.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 23, 2025

He’s also enlisted local police, state troopers and private security for the events.

From Salon • May 5, 2025

Some of the Americans were motivated by evangelical zeal or simply attracted by the mystery of a severely cloistered police state fueled by anti-U.S. hatred.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 19, 2023

But what they didn’t say was that prison was also a microcosm of a totalitarian society, a nearly pure example of the police state.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover