1
as in authoritarian
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 domineering
fond of ordering people around
no surprise that the dictatorial manager is highly unpopular among employees
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in arbitrary
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
The film is at its best building tension and showing us just how anxious life is under dictatorial rule.
—
Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
The judge was absolutely incredulous about the contractual argument and the independent, dictatorial authority of the president.
—Liz Crawford, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
Rubio has been carrying out dictatorial measures at home.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 29 Jan. 2026
Sharp’s work has been used as an essential guide for democracy activists under dictatorial regimes in countries such as Serbia, Burma, and Iran.
—George Packer, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dictatorial
Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
The judge was absolutely incredulous about the contractual argument and the independent, dictatorial authority of the president.
—Liz Crawford, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
Rubio has been carrying out dictatorial measures at home.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 29 Jan. 2026
Sharp’s work has been used as an essential guide for democracy activists under dictatorial regimes in countries such as Serbia, Burma, and Iran.
—George Packer, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dictatorial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dictatorial
Adjective
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Founded by George Soros after the fall of communism, the university says the authoritarian government of Viktor Orbán forced 90% of its teaching operations out of the country in 2019, leaving behind a stark symbol of how far the nation has moved during the prime minister’s 16-year regime.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
11 Apr. 2026
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Reminiscent of authoritarian regimes, experts say What's branding in business is problematic in governance.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Through it all, however, West struggled with depression and a sense of self-loathing, and had trouble with intimacy, much of it a by-product of a hardscrabble childhood in West Virginia with a domineering father.—
Stuart Miller,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
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In the new version, the dramatic tension comes from the singer’s relationship with his domineering father, Joe Jackson, who doesn’t want his son’s solo career to come at the expense of the Jackson 5, the Motown group that put the family on the map.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch denounced a sustained crackdown on dissent under Talon, citing arbitrary detentions, tighter restrictions on public demonstrations and mounting pressure on independent media outlets.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
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In 1972, the Supreme Court ruled that Georgia’s death penalty as then applied was arbitrary and discriminatory, forcing all states to rewrite their laws and beef up their systems to provide for death row defense lawyers.—
The Week US,
TheWeek,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The early heat wave comes less than a month after oppressive heat choked much of the western United States.—
Denise Chow,
NBC news,
14 Apr. 2026
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Based on Margaret Atwood’s 2019 novel, the sequel series returns to the oppressive, patriarchal society, this time through the lens of teenagers Agnes (Chase Infiniti) and Daisy (Lucy Halliday).—
Rebecca Aizin,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Notoriously arrogant comedy legend Kent Romero might first bring to mind Chevy Chase for readers, perhaps even 1980s stars like Judge Reinhold, but with his Venezuelan-American background, he was also inspired by real-life groundbreakers like Freddie Prinze.—
Lee Kelly,
PEOPLE,
12 Apr. 2026
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As the sun and Jupiter clash, you’re cosmically protected, but arrogant behavior won’t get a pass.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Even with a fragile ceasefire in place with Iran, Trump’s support for Orbán may not work out for the autocratic Hungarian leader, who faces a tough election this weekend.—
Nicholas Riccardi,
Fortune,
9 Apr. 2026
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This means that filmmakers out of favor with autocratic regimes—including, in Iran, some of the nation’s greatest artists—don’t stand a chance, and some of the most notable recent Iranian films have been submitted by other countries.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Hard to Be a God is about a planet that has not been allowed to advance beyond the Middle Ages, and descended into a filthy, despotic, and violent world.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
14 Apr. 2026
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Remarkably, among the foremost critics of Cuba’s single-party despotic rule is one of Castro’s own daughters, Alina Fernández Revuelta.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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As someone who dealt with overzealous RAs, thank you for shining a light on their tyrannical ways.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Apr. 2026
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The Trueba family’s passions, struggles, and secrets span a century of violent social change, culminating in a crisis that hurls the proud, tyrannical patriarch and his beloved granddaughter towards opposite sides of the fence.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dictatorial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dictatorial. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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