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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dictatorship
By the 1980s, Agüero was among the many filmmakers working in Chile’s growing advertising industry, struggling with the practical constraints of moviemaking under the Pinochet dictatorship while also trying to find his cinematic voice.
—
Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 22 Apr. 2026
Under dictatorship until 1974 and long one of Western Europe’s poorest nations, Portugal developed a design ethos rooted in practicality.
—Christine Chitnis, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Apr. 2026
Rafael Montalvo, president of the Brigade 2506 Veterans Association, said the museum will also educate visitors about the harm caused by decades of Communist dictatorship.
—CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
The 1980s unleashed a passionate wave of student protests and artistic flowering to disassemble the island’s brutal dictatorship.
—Michelle Kuo, The Dial, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dictatorship
Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 22 Apr. 2026
Under dictatorship until 1974 and long one of Western Europe’s poorest nations, Portugal developed a design ethos rooted in practicality.
—Christine Chitnis, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Apr. 2026
Rafael Montalvo, president of the Brigade 2506 Veterans Association, said the museum will also educate visitors about the harm caused by decades of Communist dictatorship.
—CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
The 1980s unleashed a passionate wave of student protests and artistic flowering to disassemble the island’s brutal dictatorship.
—Michelle Kuo, The Dial, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dictatorship
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dictatorship
Noun
-
So concluded one of the finest chapters in our history, as the United States saved Western Europe from a diabolical tyranny.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
1 May 2026
-
In How to Be a Dissident, Beckerman draws on the stories of dissidents from around the globe and across time, to provide models for pushing back against tyranny.—
The Atlantic,
The Atlantic,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
It was penned to expose the mechanics of corruption at a point in time when Orwell believed the issue of fascism was of the utmost urgency.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Our militaries fought and won in two World Wars for liberty and against fascism.—
Stephen Doughty,
Boston Herald,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
If Magyar fails to fix the system and deliver results, a return to autocracy would be likely.—
Elizabeth Shackelford,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Since 2021, the state has been grappling with slowing economic output, weaning itself off a property market bubble, and trying to find a balance between promoting a free market and stock exchange within a one-party autocracy.—
Joseph Wilkins,Sean Conlon,
CNBC,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Eight decades later, as nations inch toward despotism, an art animated by democratic impulses makes a stronger case for itself.—
Judith Shulevitz,
The Atlantic,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The hope is that the institutional reforms started by the interim administration of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus deliver the necessary checks and balances to avert another lurch toward despotism.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dictatorship.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dictatorship. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
