Definition of dictatorship
1 : the office of dictator
2 : autocratic rule, control, or leadership people suffering under his dictatorship
3a : a form of government in which absolute power is concentrated in a dictator or a small clique Communism and dictatorshipb : a government organization or group in which absolute power is so concentrated rising up against a military dictatorshipc : a despotic state establishing a dictatorship
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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 of dictatorship from the Web
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Government investigations since the end of Pinochet's rule have found that nearly 2,300 people disappeared during the dictatorship and 30,000 more were tortured.
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But Hun Sen has brought economic growth and relative stability to the Southeast Asian nation that was devastated by the communist Khmer Rouge dictatorship in the late 1970s, when 1.7 million people died from starvation, disease and executions.
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The current round of heavy protests began in April, sparked by dire living conditions and the realization that Venezuela seems to have lurched into full-on dictatorship.
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Although Kim, who was estranged from his family, was not an obvious political threat, he may have been seen as a potential rival in the country's dynastic dictatorship.
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Although Kim, who was estranged from his family, was not an obvious political threat, he may have been seen as a potential rival in the country’s dynastic dictatorship.
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To the dismay of leaders who fought to construct Brazil’s young democracy, some Brazilians are also expressing nostalgia for the military dictatorship that controlled the country from 1964 to 1985, a period marked by human rights abuses.
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The use of armed forces is a choice that could particularly anger the population in Brazil, a country that lived through a military dictatorship from 1964 to 1985.
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Travel advisories come and go, just as dictatorships rise and fall.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dictatorship'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of dictatorship
see dictator
First Known Use: 1542
Other Government and Politics Terms
DICTATORSHIP Defined for English Language Learners
dictatorship
playDefinition of dictatorship for English Language Learners
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: rule by a dictator : rule, control, or leadership by one person with total power
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: a government or country in which total power is held by a dictator or a small group
Learn More about dictatorship
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See words that rhyme with dictatorship Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for dictatorship Spanish Central: Translation of dictatorship Nglish: Translation of dictatorship for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of dictatorship for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dictatorship
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