1. a system of government in which a czar (Russian emperor) holds absolute power; autocratic rule by a czar
Usage: also spelled tsarism; historical, primarily referring to Russian imperial government

Examples

• Czarism in Russia lasted until the revolution of 1917.
• The oppressive policies of czarism led to widespread discontent among the peasantry.
• Historians study czarism to understand the structure of imperial Russian society.
• Czarism was characterized by the concentration of power in the hands of a single ruler.
• The fall of czarism marked a major turning point in European history.