dictator

noun

ˈdik-ˌtā-tər How to pronounce dictator (audio)
Definition of dictatornext
as in tyrant
a person who uses power or authority in a cruel, unjust, or harmful way the dictator had a fierce stranglehold on the country, keeping its people in poverty and ignorance

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of dictator Lee came of age under the military dictator Park Chung-hee, who imposed a midnight curfew and strict censorship of everything from newspapers to pop songs. — E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026 Finchelstein, Stanley and others warn that the most dangerous moment for democracies can be when a wanna-be dictator loses momentum. — Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026 No matter how powerful, dictators have always needed subordinates—censors, propagandists, security guards, police officers, intelligence analysts, and local bureaucrats—to carry out their orders. — Seva Gunitsky, Foreign Affairs, 1 Oct. 2026 Franco would go on to win the war in 1939 and rule Spain as an authoritarian dictator until his death in 1975. — The Learning Network, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dictator
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dictator
tyrant
Noun
  • He got obsessed with building an empire, started Solar Productions, and became a tyrant both on set and off.
    — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Plato warned that an unhealthy democracy can easily fall prey to a tyrant.
    — Kenneth Michael White, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of tyrant

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dictations
dictator
dictatorial
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Cite this Entry

“Dictator.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dictator. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dictator

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dictator

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