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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dictatorial
World Gone, the Assads Jay Nordlinger On the rise and fall of Syria’s dictatorial dynasty.
—
Daniel Foster, National Review, 23 Jan. 2025
Adolescents and young people, who never lived in a dictatorial government, are discovering the history.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Jan. 2025
Kim added that the pursuit of individualism in Korea coexists with a sense of community, rooted in Confucian values, and a collective yearning for freedom stemming from Japanese occupation and dictatorial regimes.
—Hanna Park, CNN, 13 Jan. 2025
These are features and not bugs: Spreading fear is the essence of the dictatorial system.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dictatorial
Daniel Foster, National Review, 23 Jan. 2025
Adolescents and young people, who never lived in a dictatorial government, are discovering the history.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Jan. 2025
Kim added that the pursuit of individualism in Korea coexists with a sense of community, rooted in Confucian values, and a collective yearning for freedom stemming from Japanese occupation and dictatorial regimes.
—Hanna Park, CNN, 13 Jan. 2025
These are features and not bugs: Spreading fear is the essence of the dictatorial system.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dictatorial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dictatorial
Adjective
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Eversource is asking the court to overturn a 2023 PURA decision that the company claims was based on an arbitrary application of regulatory law and intended to reach a pre-determined decision to slash its rates.—
Edmund H. Mahony,
Hartford Courant,
7 Mar. 2025
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Many of those firings have prompted lawsuits parallel to Dellinger’s that challenge the legality of Trump bypassing language in statutes, including provisions that protect employees at independent agencies from politicized or arbitrary firings.—
Ashley Oliver,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
6 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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They are also seen as sharing a joint interest in diminishing the role of the U.S. and other liberal democracies in determining world events in favor of their own highly authoritarian systems.—
Christopher Bodeen,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Mar. 2025
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In this way, democratic parenting is markedly different from both permissive parenting and authoritarian parenting.—
Miranda Rake,
Parents,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The actor has one daughter with ex-wife Melanie Griffith and has been dating his girlfriend Nicole Kimpel since 2014. 05 of 09 John Lithgow as Lord Farquaad The actor behind the arrogant Lord Farquaad boasts an impressive career that began decades before Shrek came out in 2001.—
Zoey Lyttle,
People.com,
1 Mar. 2025
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Many members of its board appeared arrogant in the face of questions from the prosecutor or one of the lawyers.—
Laia Cervelló Herrero,
The Athletic,
23 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The triangle was turned right-side-up to show that gay people were standing up to oppressive forces.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
Newsweek,
13 Mar. 2025
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My parents came here from Syria, carrying their stories of the oppressive regime there that made life unlivable.—
Armando Garcia,
ABC News,
11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Here's Your Zodiac Love Compatibility, Based on Your Sign Sagittarius: Rachel Chu from Crazy Rich Asians To maintain her relationship, Rachel takes on a fight with her boyfriend’s domineering mother Eleanor.—
Lisa Stardust,
People.com,
13 Feb. 2025
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He’s had something of a habit of playing domineering fathers, doing so on Ugly Betty (2006–2007) and as Charles Widmore on Lost (2006–2010).—
Sezin Devi Koehler,
EW.com,
8 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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As many writers have already warned, these moves represent a frightening step toward autocratic rule and an erosion of democratic values.—
Elaine Weiss,
The Atlantic,
6 Mar. 2025
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No one won an argument with autocratic studio bosses, and Scott’s movie career was over.—
Rick Kogan,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Hip-hop regenerates constantly, and yet there has been an almost despotic grip on the throne(s) for some time.—
Jon Caramanica,
New York Times,
24 Dec. 2024
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The notion that these companies were sovereign enclaves of pitilessly despotic geniuses is a myth of recent vintage.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
The New Yorker,
19 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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What is the character of those who bear false witness and favor Russia’s tyrannical lies over Ukrainians’ unalienable rights?—
Mark Sandy,
TIME,
14 Mar. 2025
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The Constitution that resulted outlined a separation of powers between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, serving together as a system of checks and balances to prevent the kind of tyrannical rule that the colonies fought to free themselves from.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
TIME,
20 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dictatorial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dictatorial. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.
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