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
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
For instance, during Rafael Trujillo’s dictatorship in the Dominican Republic from 1930 to 1961, the head of intelligence, Johnny Abbes, was plucked from obscurity in Mexico and in 1958 began to lead the dictator’s repression machine.
—
Erica Frantz, The Conversation, 16 May 2025
In the Soviet dictatorship, this was meant literally: engineers and senior managers in charge of color film production would be denounced, arrested, and executed during the Great Purges of 1937–1838.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 15 May 2025
Before leading the country, Mujica spent more than a decade as a political prisoner under Uruguay’s military dictatorship, including several years in solitary confinement.
—Javier Hasse, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
By that time, Uruguay's dictatorship had given way to a democratic government, and Mujica eventually embraced electoral politics.
—John Otis, NPR, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for dictatorship
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Erica Frantz, The Conversation, 16 May 2025
In the Soviet dictatorship, this was meant literally: engineers and senior managers in charge of color film production would be denounced, arrested, and executed during the Great Purges of 1937–1838.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 15 May 2025
Before leading the country, Mujica spent more than a decade as a political prisoner under Uruguay’s military dictatorship, including several years in solitary confinement.
—Javier Hasse, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
By that time, Uruguay's dictatorship had given way to a democratic government, and Mujica eventually embraced electoral politics.
—John Otis, NPR, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for dictatorship
Cite this Entry
“Dictatorship.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dictatorship. Accessed 23 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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