1
as in arbitrary
exercising power or authority without interference by others
a dictatorial leader with total control over people's lives
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in authoritarian
fond of ordering people around
no surprise that the dictatorial manager is highly unpopular among employees
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3
as in arrogant
having or showing a tendency to force one's will on others without any regard to fairness or necessity
even the teachers chafed under the dictatorial rule of the principal
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Recent Examples of dictatorial
Winston Smith, the main character, only vaguely remembers the days before Big Brother assumed dictatorial power, when Airstrip One was still called England or Britain.
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Rob Crossan, JSTOR Daily, 15 Nov. 2024
The couple have been Biles’ safe zone, nurturing her after the more dictatorial approach of the Karolyis.
—Dana O'Neil, The Athletic, 6 Aug. 2024
Fascism is a populist political movement which advocates putting the nation first through a centralized, autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader who controls the economy and suppresses opposition.
—Nina Turner, Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2024
Applying his dictatorial power, Kuhn banned me from the locker rooms.
—Melissa Ludtke, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dictatorial 
Rob Crossan, JSTOR Daily, 15 Nov. 2024
The couple have been Biles’ safe zone, nurturing her after the more dictatorial approach of the Karolyis.
—Dana O'Neil, The Athletic, 6 Aug. 2024
Fascism is a populist political movement which advocates putting the nation first through a centralized, autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader who controls the economy and suppresses opposition.
—Nina Turner, Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2024
Applying his dictatorial power, Kuhn banned me from the locker rooms.
—Melissa Ludtke, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dictatorial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dictatorial
Adjective
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The outcomes can feel especially arbitrary when everyone is telling more or less the same story.Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2025
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Pay special attention to changing policies or franchises imposing additional fees that seem arbitrary or exploitative.Michael McFall, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Current legislation on this matter already vets for all kinds of criminals, terrorists, affiliates of authoritarian regimes, and anyone who may otherwise seek to overthrow the government or use violence against Americans.Agustina Vergara Cid, Orange County Register, 29 Dec. 2024
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In Venezuela, the authoritarian rule continues to drive emigration, while Bolivia faces growing instability due to its declining economy.Laura Begley Bloom, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Teamsters officials later complained that Harris, who would go on to lose all seven battleground states, was arrogant in her dealings with them.W. James Antle III, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 30 Dec. 2024
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Russia, Iran, and many other countries criticize U.S. military interventions as arrogant, ignorant of local context, and unable to fashion either stable regimes or effective security structures.Alexander Baunov, Foreign Affairs, 26 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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But the backdrops are rendered with an oppressive prettiness that has a perverse cheapening effect.Alison Willmore, Vulture, 7 Jan. 2025
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The total absence of shadow is an oppressive sensation, which engenders a feeling similar to that of claustrophobia.New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The Attitude Era succeeded on the backs of all-time greats Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock, with Vince McMahon a domineering force both behind the scenes and on camera.Alfred Konuwa, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024
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Taurus April 20 – May 20 You might currently be motivated to stand your ground against a domineering authority figure.Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 20 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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For these countries, there is far less concern about Trump’s autocratic tendencies and contempt for liberal internationalist ideals.Bilahari Kausikan, Foreign Affairs, 7 Jan. 2025
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Nicaragua's become even more autocratic this year, and recent blackouts in Cuba illustrate how difficult living there is for many.Marina E. Franco (Noticias Telemundo for Axios), Axios, 10 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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But Valery, despite his lack of power in a despotic system, is able to help others, and finds a way to not just survive his pain but also live with its lasting effects.Vanessa Armstrong, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2025
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Assad's fall is a globally resonant message that such despotic regimes cannot endure indefinitely.Paul du Quenoy, Newsweek, 31 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The original Caligari, in which a mysterious doctor and his fortune-telling somnambulist commit a series of murders and drive two young people to madness, is often regarded as a critique of Germans’ blind obedience to tyrannical authority during the First World War.Elle Carroll, Vulture, 24 Dec. 2024
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Young Leo is plucked from another world to lead the fight against the tyrannical villains who have kept the 10 realms under their control.Marc Berman, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near dictatorial
Cite this Entry
“Dictatorial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dictatorial. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
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