dictatorship

noun

dic·​ta·​tor·​ship dik-ˈtā-tər-ˌship How to pronounce dictatorship (audio)
ˈdik-ˌtā-
1
: the office of dictator
2
: autocratic rule, control, or leadership
people suffering under his dictatorship
3
a
: a form of government in which absolute power is concentrated in a dictator or a small clique
Communism and dictatorship
b
: a government organization or group in which absolute power is so concentrated
rising up against a military dictatorship
c
: a despotic state
establishing a dictatorship

Examples of dictatorship in a Sentence

The country suffered for many years under his dictatorship. His enemies accused him of establishing a dictatorship.
Recent Examples on the Web The accusations unveiled on Thursday lay out how the former president and his allies tried to subvert Brazil’s young democracy, including alarming details for a country that was ruled by a military dictatorship from 1964 to 1985. Jack Nicas, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2024 While many European nations were embracing modernity in the late 20th century, Portugal faced challenges under the Salazar dictatorship and grappled with economic hardship. Christine Chitnis, Vogue, 6 Feb. 2024 The unrest led then-outgoing President Pinera to agree to a popular vote about the need to change the constitution inherited from the dictatorship. Anneclaire Stapleton, CNN, 6 Feb. 2024 Film still made under Francisco Franco’s dictatorship. John Hopewell, Variety, 1 Feb. 2024 Recommended Talk of a Trump ‘dictatorship’: What’s behind the fears The village’s Peace Park, a collection of olive trees and a playground built by residents to commemorate the United Arab Emirates-Israel Abraham Accords normalization agreement, was empty. Taylor Luck, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Jan. 2024 The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) has issued the report, a copy of which was obtained by Fox News Digital, which looks into the dramatic increase in migrants coming from the socialist dictatorship to the U.S. southern border. Adam Shaw, Fox News, 18 Jan. 2024 For me, non-recognition and forgetfulness are as serious as the dictatorship. Holly Jones, Variety, 19 Feb. 2024 His legacy is marred by violent police repression in October 2019 against protesters who were demonstrating against the country's education, health and pension systems dating to the country's 1973-1990 military dictatorship. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 8 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dictatorship.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

dictator + -ship, as translation of Latin dictātūra

First Known Use

1542, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dictatorship was in 1542

Dictionary Entries Near dictatorship

Cite this Entry

“Dictatorship.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dictatorship. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

dictatorship

noun
dic·​ta·​tor·​ship dik-ˈtāt-ər-ˌship How to pronounce dictatorship (audio)
ˈdik-ˌtāt-
1
: the office of a dictator
2
: rule, control, or leadership by one person with total power
3
: a government or country in which total power is held by a dictator or a small group

More from Merriam-Webster on dictatorship

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