as in tyrant
a person who uses power or authority in a cruel, unjust, or harmful way
the dictator had a fierce stranglehold on the country, keeping its people in poverty and ignorance
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Recent Examples of dictator
The reigning monarch, president or dictator then unleashes the national army/armed forces upon the populace/rioters in an attempt to quell the unrest.
—
Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 3 Feb. 2026
Some people are interpreting this as a pointed allusion to Italians’ post–World War II rejection of the monarchy after its support for fascist dictator Benito Mussolini.
—Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 3 Feb. 2026
Democrats, too, quickly blasted his remarks, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer likening them to that of a dictator.
—Emily Chang, ABC News, 3 Feb. 2026
The dictator had set his mind on claiming all the sunken treasure off his country’s coast and would brook no competition.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dictator
Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 3 Feb. 2026
Some people are interpreting this as a pointed allusion to Italians’ post–World War II rejection of the monarchy after its support for fascist dictator Benito Mussolini.
—Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 3 Feb. 2026
Democrats, too, quickly blasted his remarks, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer likening them to that of a dictator.
—Emily Chang, ABC News, 3 Feb. 2026
The dictator had set his mind on claiming all the sunken treasure off his country’s coast and would brook no competition.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dictator
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dictator
tyrant
Noun
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When a tyrant falls, we may be tempted to imagine a final moment of tragic self-awareness—a personal reckoning, like Oedipus blinding himself, or Macbeth raging on the heath.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
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Ruling like a petty tyrant from the company’s headquarters in lower Manhattan, Coplan isn’t an easy boss to work with, according to new reporting by the Wall Street Journal.—
Joe Wilkins Published Feb 4,
Futurism,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dictator.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dictator. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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