dictatorship

noun

dic·​ta·​tor·​ship dik-ˈtā-tər-ˌship 

ˈdik-ˌtā-

1

: the office of dictator

2

: autocratic rule, control, or leadership

people suffering under his dictatorship

3

a

: a form of government in which absolute power is concentrated in a dictator or a small clique

Communism and dictatorship

b

: a government organization or group in which absolute power is so concentrated

rising up against a military dictatorship

c

: a despotic state

establishing a dictatorship

Synonyms

• absolutism
• autarchy
• authoritarianism
• autocracy
• Caesarism
• czarism
• tsarism
• tzarism
• despotism
• totalism
• totalitarianism
• tyranny

Examples of dictatorship in a Sentence

The country suffered for many years under his dictatorship.

His enemies accused him of establishing a dictatorship.

Recent Examples on the Web

From 1957 to 1986, the father-son Duvalier dictatorships dominated political life. —Websder Corneille, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 June 2024

Spain’s culture of ministry has published a list of more than 5,000 items and pieces of art, including paintings, sculptures, furniture and jewelry, that were seized during the Spanish Civil War under the Franco dictatorship. —Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2024

The Kim family — sometimes referred to as the Mount Paektu bloodline — is the hereditary dictatorship of the country founded by communist revolutionary Kim Il Sung. —Timothy H.j. Nerozzi Fox News, Fox News, 20 June 2024

Plenty of dictatorships are evil — oppressive, murderous — without being psychotic. —Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 17 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

dictator + -ship, as translation of Latin dictātūra

First Known Use

1542, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

dictatorship

noun

dic·​ta·​tor·​ship dik-ˈtāt-ər-ˌship 

ˈdik-ˌtāt-

1

: the office of a dictator

2

: rule, control, or leadership by one person with total power

3

: a government or country in which total power is held by a dictator or a small group