dictatorship
noun
dic·ta·tor·ship
dik-ˈtā-tər-ˌship 
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
… the statutory and constitutional constraints which distinguish a democracy from a dictatorship.—
Center for National Security Studies, et al. v. U.S. Dept. of Justice, 215 F.Supp.2d 94 (2002)
Center for National Security Studies, et al. v. U.S. Dept. of Justice, 215 F.Supp.2d 94 (2002)
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
Stolen from his Chilean mother as a baby and raised in suburban Chicago, 36-year-old Kyle Adler finally reunites with her, confronting an identity shaped by dictatorship-era trafficking.
—Vanessa A. Alvarez, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2026
Every administration since the Marcos dictatorship has directed particular attention to the island of Negros, which has seen considerable NPA activity because of the area’s chronic struggles over land rights.
—Patrick Peralta, The Conversation, 28 May 2026
Adler was one of thousands of children stolen from families in Chile during the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet, who led the country from 1973 to 1990, the AP reported.
—Adam England, PEOPLE, 28 May 2026
In the years after Argentina’s military dictatorship, many of the 500 children who had been stolen and raised under false identities began to come forward, looking for their families.
—Sara Huston, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for dictatorship
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Vanessa A. Alvarez, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2026
Every administration since the Marcos dictatorship has directed particular attention to the island of Negros, which has seen considerable NPA activity because of the area’s chronic struggles over land rights.
—Patrick Peralta, The Conversation, 28 May 2026
Adler was one of thousands of children stolen from families in Chile during the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet, who led the country from 1973 to 1990, the AP reported.
—Adam England, PEOPLE, 28 May 2026
In the years after Argentina’s military dictatorship, many of the 500 children who had been stolen and raised under false identities began to come forward, looking for their families.
—Sara Huston, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for dictatorship
Cite this Entry
“Dictatorship.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dictatorship. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dictatorship
noun
dic·ta·tor·ship
dik-ˈtāt-ər-ˌship
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
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