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:

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

Example Sentences

He had been lauded for his prominent role in Spain's tricky transition to democracy after the 36-year dictatorship of Francisco Franco ended with the general's death in 1975.

From Barron's

The duo met while studying journalism at the Universidad de Chile in the late 1980s, as the country transitioned from a dictatorship to a democracy.

From Los Angeles Times

The 58-year-old was named as the prestigious prize's recipient in October, being praised for her efforts towards a "peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy".

From BBC

As the country’s ’70s-era military dictatorship wreaks havoc, decent people privately put up a complex resistance over years.

From Los Angeles Times

Thousands of people demonstrated in Greece on Monday to commemorate a student uprising against a US-backed dictatorship that was brutally crushed in 1973.

From Barron's

Related Words

• authoritarianism
• autocracy
• totalitarianism
• tyranny