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View synonyms for

dictatorship

[ dik-tey-ter-ship, dik-tey- ]

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.


dictatorship

/ ɪˈٱɪəˌʃɪ /

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
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

dictatorship

  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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Notes

Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin were dictators.
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Word History and Origins

Origin of dictatorship1

First recorded in 1580–90; dictator + -ship
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Compare Meanings

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

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

“How does a democracy turn itself into a dictatorship?”

From

Critics felt he failed to do enough to oppose the country's brutal military dictatorship in the 1970s and 1980s and to criticise the complicity of some figures in the Church.

From

At a local factory, he worked closely with Esther Ballestrino, who campaigned against Argentina's military dictatorship.

From

I assumed I'd lost my home country for good, then suddenly last year the dictatorship was toppled in just over a week.

From

He pointed to Brazil and South Korea, which have histories of dictatorships and which in recent years have rejected anti-democratic threats.

From

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