Synonyms of dictator

dictator

noun

ˈdik-ˌtā-tər 

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• tyrant
• despot
• ruler
• pharaoh
• warlord
• strongman
• oppressor
• man on horseback
• führer
• overlord
• caesar
• tycoon
• leader
• king
• autocrat
• authoritarian
• prince
• monarch
• magnate
• totalitarian
• boss
• caudillo
• potentate
• tyrannizer
• baron
• dominator
• sovereign
• czar
• chief
• master
• queen
• lord
• Big Brother
• paramount
• captain
• autarch
• mogul
• monocrat
• kingpin
• taskmaster
• martinet
• enforcer
• disciplinarian
• discipliner

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of dictator

The absurdities and tragedies of daily life in dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu’s Romania roar from the page in Oana Aristide’s irresistible debut. — Monitor Reviewers, Christian Science Monitor, 21 Aug. 2026

Trump plans to revive talks over North Korea’s nuclear program and wants to meet with the pariah state’s dictator this year, The Wall Street Journal reported. — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 19 Aug. 2026

Israel has carried out raids and strikes on Syrian territory since al-Assad, Syria's longtime dictator, was ousted in December 2024. — Frank Andrews, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026

The axis included not just the militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah, but Yemen’s Houthi rebels, militias in Syria and Iraq and the government of Syria’s then-dictator Bashar Assad. — Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026