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 Italy’s triumph over Czechoslovakia in the 1934 final which strengthened the regime of fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, for example. — Will Jeanes, New York Times, 20 June 2026 Leftist groups are planning to bring 150 people from the United States to Cuba to celebrate the late dictator Fidel Castro‘s 100th birthday. — Hudson Crozier, The Washington Examiner, 23 June 2026 Syrians in the United States became eligible for deportation protections in 2012 because of civil war and former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad’s crackdown on dissent. — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 25 June 2026 The Interview starred Rogen and James Franco as their characters landed an interview with North Korean dictator Jong-Un Kim, then were recruited by the CIA to assassinate him. — Kirsten Chuba, HollywoodReporter, 25 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for dictator
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dictator
tyrant
Noun
  • Because, after all, as in all of Haber’s novels, the point is not really what is happening in the world but what is happening in the mind—in this case the mind of the pettiest of tyrants.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 July 2026
  • Joseph Stalin—the Soviet Union’s supreme ruler from 1929 to 1953 and a murderous tyrant legendary for drinking friends and enemies under the table—was a closet oenophile, the e-mail explained.
    — Frankie Mills, Air Mail, 27 June 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 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dictator

Nglish: Translation of dictator for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dictator

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