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
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
In the benchmark survey, known as Bright Line Watch, U.S.-based professors rate the performance of American democracy on a scale from zero (complete dictatorship) to 100 (perfect democracy).
—
Frank Langfitt, NPR, 22 Apr. 2025
In the late 1970s, Argentina was under the heel of a military dictatorship.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2025
Fellow dictatorships including Russia, China, North Korea, Cuba, and Iran lined up behind Maduro while Gonzalez fled the country during the reign of state terror against dissidents that followed the election.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 20 Apr. 2025
Emotional, intense, ambitious, deep, and intelligent - a powerful look at how dictatorship works.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 19 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dictatorship
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Frank Langfitt, NPR, 22 Apr. 2025
In the late 1970s, Argentina was under the heel of a military dictatorship.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2025
Fellow dictatorships including Russia, China, North Korea, Cuba, and Iran lined up behind Maduro while Gonzalez fled the country during the reign of state terror against dissidents that followed the election.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 20 Apr. 2025
Emotional, intense, ambitious, deep, and intelligent - a powerful look at how dictatorship works.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 19 Apr. 2025
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 May. 2025.
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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