dictatorship

American  

[dik-tey-ter-ship, dik-tey-] / dɪkˈteɪ tərˌʃɪp, ˈdɪk teɪ- /

noun

1. a country, government, or the form of government in which absolute power is exercised by a dictator.

2. absolute, imperious, or overbearing power or control.

3. the office or position held by a dictator.

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dictatorship British  

/ dɪkˈteɪtəˌʃɪp /

noun

1. the rank, office, or period of rule of a dictator

2. government by a dictator or dictators

3. a country ruled by a dictator or dictators

4. absolute or supreme power or authority

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dictatorship Cultural  

1. Government by a single person or by a junta or other group that is not responsible to the people or their elected representatives.

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Discover More

Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin were dictators.

Etymology

Origin of dictatorship

First recorded in 1580–90; dictator + -ship

Compare meaning

How does dictatorship compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• fascism vs. dictatorship
• autocracy vs. dictatorship
• totalitarianism vs. dictatorship

Example Sentences

There's a reason this protest streak runs so hot in South Korea, which only became a democracy in the late 1980s and is well-acquainted with political interference, dictatorships and military overreach.

From BBC

According to 1996 reporting by The Times, “Siembra” delivered pulsating salsa rhythms that “carried messages of freedom at a time when most of Latin America was oppressed by military dictatorships.”

From Los Angeles Times

At the end of Saddam’s brutal dictatorship, Iraq had about 1.5 million Christians.

From The Wall Street Journal

Ms. Rodríguez doesn’t have an entirely free hand in the dictatorship.

From The Wall Street Journal

Chilean President Gabriel Boric, a leftist who has called Cuba a dictatorship, said his government would also provide aid to Cuba through Unicef.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• authoritarianism
• autocracy
• totalitarianism
• tyranny