dictatorship
Americannoun
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a country, government, or the form of government in which absolute power is exercised by a dictator.
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absolute, imperious, or overbearing power or control.
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the office or position held by a dictator.
noun
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the rank, office, or period of rule of a dictator
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government by a dictator or dictators
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a country ruled by a dictator or dictators
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absolute or supreme power or authority
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Etymology
Origin of dictatorship
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How does dictatorship compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A dictatorship is a government or a social situation where one person makes all the rules and decisions without input from anyone else. Dictatorship implies absolute power — one person who takes control — of a political situation, a family, a classroom or even a camping expedition. In government, a dictatorship leaves no room for input from anyone who is not the top guy or gal. The noun comes from the late 14th century Latin word, dictare, which means to "repeat or say often." In a dictatorship, one person keeps repeating the same command: "My way or the highway."
Vocabulary lists containing dictatorship
You Can Say That Again: Dic and Dict
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Ancient Rome - Introductory
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President Trump's First Address to the United Nations General Assembly (2017)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The contemporary Falangist movement in Spain explicitly borrows its name and iconography from Francisco Franco’s dictatorship.
From Salon • Jun. 7, 2026
In this heart-sore and compassionate investigation of unresolved pain, director Marialuisa Ernst makes a parallel between their plight and how her uncle’s disappearance during Argentina’s dictatorship affected her family.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 2, 2026
Protests also erupted in the 1960s over the participation of Spain under dictator General Francisco Franco, and Portugal under the dictatorship of Antonio de Oliveira Salazar.
From Barron's • May 16, 2026
In 1981 I learned the difference at ground level between dictatorship and totalitarianism.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026
They apply to the organization of entire countries: remember the perennial arguments about whether the best form of government is a benign dictatorship, a federal system, or an anarchical free-for-all.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
