PATERNALISTIC definition: 1. (of people in authority) making decisions for other people rather than letting them take…. Learn more.

The meaning of PATERNALISM is a system under which an authority undertakes to supply needs or regulate conduct of those under its control in matters affecting them as individuals as well …

Paternalism is action that limits a person's or group's liberty or autonomy against their will and is intended to promote their own good. It has been defended in a variety of contexts as a means …

PATERNALISTIC definition: (of governance, management, or behavior) based in a system positing that authority knows best; outwardly benevolent, but often in a condescending or …

(of a government or an employer) protecting the people who are governed or employed by providing them with what they need, but not giving them any responsibility or freedom of …

Someone who is paternalistic takes all the decisions for the people they govern, employ, or are responsible for. The doctor is being paternalistic. He's deciding what information the patient …

Nov 6, 2025 · paternalistic (comparative more paternalistic, superlative most paternalistic) the quality of being paternal, i.e. like a father, e.g. characterized by behaving in a benevolent yet …

Paternalism generally involves competing claims between individual liberty and authoritative social control. Questions concerning paternalism also may include both the claims of individual …

paternalistic, adj. meanings, etymology, pronunciation and more in the Oxford English Dictionary

When someone in authority acts like they're your parent, making decisions for you rather than allowing you to be responsible for yourself, you can describe them as paternalistic.