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
Imagine living in the dictatorship of North Korea, hungry all the time, laboring for no pay.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 8 Mar. 2026
The Iranian dictatorship has likewise been on a mad dash to obtain nuclear weapons.
—Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 8 Mar. 2026
Nobody is going to accept any more dictatorship after this everybody is aware now.
—Chierstin Roth, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026
This would ease the military pressure on the Venezuelan dictatorship to follow Washington’s orders.
—Andres Oppenheimer, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dictatorship
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Matthew Carey, Deadline, 8 Mar. 2026
The Iranian dictatorship has likewise been on a mad dash to obtain nuclear weapons.
—Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 8 Mar. 2026
Nobody is going to accept any more dictatorship after this everybody is aware now.
—Chierstin Roth, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026
This would ease the military pressure on the Venezuelan dictatorship to follow Washington’s orders.
—Andres Oppenheimer, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 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 13 Mar. 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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