dictatorship

noun

dik-ˈtā-tər-ˌship How to pronounce dictatorship (audio)
Definition of dictatorshipnext
as in tyranny
a system of government in which the ruler has unlimited power a revolution that only ended up replacing one dictatorship with another

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 dictatorship Set in 1930s Germany, the play follows a woman who assumes her dead husband’s identity and lives as Ella/Max as the country changes, including through war and dictatorship. — Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2026 The Iranian revolution, the North Korean dictatorship, the Palestinians held hostage by Hamas, the Lebanese held hostage by Hezbollah, the Taliban in Afganistan, The Chinese firewall, all of them share the same failure mode. — Stephen Messer, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026 On the precipice of Franco’s dictatorship, Cruz’s character is doing the same. — Daniel D'addario, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026 Lawmakers in both chambers said the focus should be on justice for the victims and their families and the public showing of the firing squad is something oppressive dictatorships perform that is beneath America. — Filip Timotija, The Hill, 10 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dictatorship
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dictatorship
  1. tyranny
  2. fascism
  3. autocracy
  4. despotism
Noun
  • Americans in 1940, although not yet at war, were the Arsenal of Democracy that likely saved the world from fascist tyranny.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026
  • But, as Roy points out, finding love with Ellen actually gives Brian the strength to stand up to Lovat’s tyranny rather than bow to it.
    — Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of tyranny
Noun
  • There never was a better moment for a movement aimed at resisting fascism, preventing war and eliminating poverty at home.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Many immigrants who arrived in the United States from Europe, including some Italians who came during the two years between Mussolini’s March on Rome and the passage of the Immigration Act of 1924, left Italy because of the rise of fascism.
    — Ed Simon, JSTOR Daily, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of fascism
Noun
  • Fighting autocracy and inequality The Ford Foundation frames its new plan as its answer to rising autocracy, widening inequality, and fading public trust.
    — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The Ford Foundation, one of the world's largest private grantmakers, will overhaul its spending to counter what new leadership views as the mutually reinforcing rise of both autocracy and inequality.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of autocracy
Noun
  • Fed up with Shockley’s managerial despotism, Noyce—along with seven colleagues, who became known as the Traitorous Eight—defected to found a rival firm, Fairchild Semiconductor, and then defected again to found Intel.
    — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The nation which will not adopt an equilibrium of power must adopt a despotism.
    — Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026
Definition of despotism

Browse Nearby Words

dictators
dictatorship
diction
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on dictatorship

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dictatorship

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of grotesque

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

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

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
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
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All