1
as in arbitrary
exercising power or authority without interference by others
a dictatorial leader with total control over people's lives
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in authoritarian
fond of ordering people around
no surprise that the dictatorial manager is highly unpopular among employees
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3
as in arrogant
having or showing a tendency to force one's will on others without any regard to fairness or necessity
even the teachers chafed under the dictatorial rule of the principal
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dictatorial
Weaknesses: The vibes at Jerry World aren’t at their best after star edge rusher Micah Parsons requested a trade late in the offseason, adding another layer to a very public contract standoff with dictatorial owner Jerry Jones.
—
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 25 Aug. 2025
Bob had to be valiant, dictatorial, curious, ever listening, wily, playful, deluded, strategic, flirtatious, fallible, political, and willing to protect and persevere against all doubters, critics, compass navigators, naysayers well intentioned or not.
—Walden Green, Pitchfork, 19 Aug. 2025
When someone has high drive and integrity that are not balanced by other character dimensions, these strengths can become dictatorial, forceful, uncompromising, belligerent, rigid, and dogmatic, among others.
—Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025
The Big Beautiful Bill is supposed to revitalize our economy, but the president who asked for it is destroying that economy with his erratic, uninformed and ill-judged dictatorial outbursts.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 13 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for dictatorial
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 25 Aug. 2025
Bob had to be valiant, dictatorial, curious, ever listening, wily, playful, deluded, strategic, flirtatious, fallible, political, and willing to protect and persevere against all doubters, critics, compass navigators, naysayers well intentioned or not.
—Walden Green, Pitchfork, 19 Aug. 2025
When someone has high drive and integrity that are not balanced by other character dimensions, these strengths can become dictatorial, forceful, uncompromising, belligerent, rigid, and dogmatic, among others.
—Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025
The Big Beautiful Bill is supposed to revitalize our economy, but the president who asked for it is destroying that economy with his erratic, uninformed and ill-judged dictatorial outbursts.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 13 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for dictatorial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dictatorial
Adjective
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Beeber said speed limits on highways are arbitrary to some extent given their design.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
11 Oct. 2025
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What To Know On October 7, 2025, the State Department reaffirmed Level 2 travel advisories for both the Maldives and Equatorial Guinea, but expanded the risk profile for Equatorial Guinea, adding fresh warnings regarding arbitrary law enforcement.—
News Editor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Jorgen Watne Frydens, the Nobel Committee chair, spoke broadly about the advance of authoritarian regimes in the world and retreat of democracy in the announcement.—
Jon Haworth,
ABC News,
10 Oct. 2025
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Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who turned 58 this week, has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her unwavering efforts to promote democratic rights in a country plagued by authoritarian rule.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Jackson returns as Wes Bryant, a handsome, intelligent, but arrogant man who had just moved to Seattle and was revealed to be a new medical intern at Grey Sloan.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
9 Oct. 2025
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Jack Cutmore-Scott as Julius Beaufort, an arrogant new money banker at the center of New York society with an interest in Ellen.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Amid the town’s oppressive atmosphere, Elma’s colleague Saevar could provide salvation.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
10 Oct. 2025
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In eastern Rajasthan’s poppy fields, an activist son and a farmer mother work to free themselves from oppressive circumstances.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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And one of the reasons the film doesn’t succeed is Meryl Streep’s grotesque performance as the filterless, domineering matriarch.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
10 Oct. 2025
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Gein’s mother was cruel and domineering.—
Elizabeth Yuko,
Rolling Stone,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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While the prize can amplify a cause, experts caution that its impact is often limited in autocratic contexts.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
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The world itself is getting much more autocratic, in the same way that Israel is becoming more autocratic.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Especially right now, when most of whatever happens next would seem to be determined by arbitrary and despotic centers of earthly power.—
James Parker,
The Atlantic,
7 Oct. 2025
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The emergency has become the rule, transforming exceptional powers into the ordinary machinery of despotic governance.—
Beatriz Magaloni,
Foreign Affairs,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Scott's most recent projects include the 2024 sequel Gladiator II, which starred Paul Mescal as the son of Russell Crowe's Maximus, who squares off against tyrannical twin emperors.—
Jessica Wang,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Oct. 2025
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Fox reclaims the notorious lady-in-waiting from centuries of scandal, revealing a sharp-witted, politically savvy woman caught in the tyrannical court of Henry VIII.—
Phillipa Gregory,
PEOPLE,
4 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dictatorial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dictatorial. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.
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