as in tyranny
a system of government in which the ruler has unlimited power
a revolution that only ended up replacing one dictatorship with another
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dictatorship
The trip, though, has underscored how the country of 50 million people, which experienced a religious crisis after its 20th century dictatorship ended, still has plenty of faithful Catholics who have turned out in droves to welcome the American pope.
—
Joseph Wilson,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Little surprise that the pair explore the wider context of Brazil’s 1970 World Cup triumph, namely the military dictatorship that sapped national pride and heaped enormous pressure on a team — one who’d stunk up the tournament four years earlier — to restore it.
—
Jon O'Brien,
Vulture,
10 June 2026
Newsrooms are not supposed to be run like dictatorships.
—
Kathleen Perricone,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 June 2026
Democratic change culminated in election in 1998 of President Kim Dae-jung, heroic opponent of dictatorship.
—
Arthur I. Cyr,
Chicago Tribune,
10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for dictatorship
Joseph Wilson,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Little surprise that the pair explore the wider context of Brazil’s 1970 World Cup triumph, namely the military dictatorship that sapped national pride and heaped enormous pressure on a team — one who’d stunk up the tournament four years earlier — to restore it.
—
Jon O'Brien,
Vulture,
10 June 2026
Newsrooms are not supposed to be run like dictatorships.
—
Kathleen Perricone,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 June 2026
Democratic change culminated in election in 1998 of President Kim Dae-jung, heroic opponent of dictatorship.
—
Arthur I. Cyr,
Chicago Tribune,
10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for dictatorship
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dictatorship
Noun
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The new aircraft will challenge that tyranny with non-stop, point to point service between the largest cities in Australia and Great Britain.
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The vaunted ability of mass media to unify the globe here comes off as a benevolent form of tyranny, of a consensual unanimity in which the bearer of truth gains total attention, total acceptance, and total gratitude.
Noun
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Antifa is short for anti-fascist or anti-fascism.
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The demonstration, which had been previously organized by a hodgepodge of activist groups after weeks of negotiations with local authorities, was otherwise peaceful — with environmentalists, women’s rights advocates, supporters of Palestinians and foes of imperialism, fascism and capitalism.
Noun
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The good ones who are trying to carefully transition a country from democracy to autocracy don't do it overnight.
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Once in office, Putin installed Vadim as an adviser to help consolidate his administration into an autocracy responsible for the suppression of civil liberties, for wars in Chechnya and Ukraine, and for a campaign of disinformation and interference in Western democracies.
Noun
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The nation which will not adopt an equilibrium of power must adopt a despotism.
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His dream was nothing less than a new reality, a hopeful future free of despotism, ruled by equality and liberty, rather than kings and queens.
Cite this Entry
“Dictatorship.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dictatorship. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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