dictatorial

adjective

dic·​ta·​to·​ri·​al ˌdik-tə-ˈtȯr-ē-əl How to pronounce dictatorial (audio)
Synonyms of dictatorial
1
a
: of, relating to, or befitting a dictator
dictatorial power
b
: ruled by a dictator
2
: oppressive to or arrogantly overbearing toward others
dictatorially
ˌdik-tə-ˈtȯr-ē-ə-lē How to pronounce dictatorial (audio)
adverb
dictatorialness noun

Synonyms of dictatorial

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Choose the Right Synonym for dictatorial

dictatorial, magisterial, dogmatic, doctrinaire, oracular mean imposing one's will or opinions on others.

dictatorial stresses autocratic, high-handed methods and a domineering manner.

exercised dictatorial control over the office

magisterial stresses assumption or use of prerogatives appropriate to a magistrate or schoolmaster in forcing acceptance of one's opinions.

the magisterial tone of his pronouncements

dogmatic implies being unduly and offensively positive in laying down principles and expressing opinions.

dogmatic about what is art and what is not

doctrinaire implies a disposition to follow abstract theories in framing laws or policies affecting people.

a doctrinaire approach to improving the economy

oracular implies the manner of one who delivers opinions in cryptic phrases or with pompous dogmatism.

a designer who is the oracular voice of fashion

Examples of dictatorial in a Sentence

He was given dictatorial powers. a dictatorial leader with total control over people's lives
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The upper ranks of the dictatorial regime’s leadership have been decimated. — Kazem Kazerounian, Hartford Courant, 1 Apr. 2026 Yet, the courage and determination of lawyers who insist upon proper enforcement of the law, even in corrupt and dictatorial regimes, stand as their own form of powerful dissent. — Irwin Cotler, Time, 8 May 2026 They are aimed at liberty, normalization and everything dictatorial theocracy fears most. — Calev Myers, New York Daily News, 9 Mar. 2026 The group parted ways after a 1967 European tour, in part due to Phil Spector’s increasingly dictatorial oversight of their releases. — Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 27 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dictatorial

Word History

Etymology

Latin dictātōrius "of a dictator" (derivative of dictātor dictator) + -al entry 1

First Known Use

1587, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of dictatorial was in 1587

Rhymes for dictatorial

See All Rhymes for dictatorial

Browse Nearby Words

dictator
dictatorial
dictatorian
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dictatorial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dictatorial. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on dictatorial

Nglish: Translation of dictatorial for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All