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.
Mr. McGovern has long wanted to treat the military dictatorship like a normal government.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026
In almost every movie about life under a dictatorship, there is a scene where the security services order someone to “show me your papers.”
From Salon • Mar. 26, 2026
“It was a dictatorship that worked from a perspective of building certain legitimacy, keeping the congress functioning, but of course, after purging dissent,” explains the Brazilian historian.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2026
Reid added that she was a social democrat who believed in "freedom of expression, free trade unions and free elections" and was not any sort of "admirer or apologist for the Chinese Communist party's dictatorship".
From BBC • Mar. 5, 2026
The Soviet Union controlled East Germany, where it installed a Communist government under a dictatorship.
From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
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.
