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

/ 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

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.

Notes

Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin were dictators.

Word History and Origins

Origin of dictatorship¹

First recorded in 1580–90; dictator + -ship

Example Sentences

A well-known Iranian human rights activist has killed himself in protest at what he called the dictatorship of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

From BBC

"If Fateme Sepehari, Nasreen Shakrami, Tomaj Salehi and Arsham Rezaei are not released from prison by 19:00 today ... I will end my life in protest against the dictatorship of Khamenei and his partners."

From BBC

"Now my goal is to end this era of military dictatorship and make peace for our generation," she tells the BBC.

From BBC

Rogan made it clear that he thinks fears of a Trump dictatorship are overblown, noting that Trump has already held the office once.

From Salon

With the election of Donald Trump, America will need a fourth founding to defend and renew its democracy against a man and regime who, as promised, will rule like a dictatorship or some other form of authoritarianism modeled after Vladimir Putin's Russia or Viktor Orbán's Hungary.

From Salon

Related Words

• authoritarianism
• autocracy
• totalitarianism
• tyranny