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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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
Applying his dictatorial power, Kuhn banned me from the locker rooms.
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Melissa Ludtke, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2024
The safe haven known as the Nest is under attack, with France’s dictatorial leader Genet (Anne Charrier) leading the charge.
—Josh Wigler, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Oct. 2024
The incendiary rapper spoke out fearlessly against Iran’s dictatorial theocracy through his music.
—Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 15 Oct. 2024
However, questions about his behavior, particularly during his dictatorial reign as owner of Harrods, plagued him until his death in August last year.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 27 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dictatorial 
Melissa Ludtke, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2024
The safe haven known as the Nest is under attack, with France’s dictatorial leader Genet (Anne Charrier) leading the charge.
—Josh Wigler, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Oct. 2024
The incendiary rapper spoke out fearlessly against Iran’s dictatorial theocracy through his music.
—Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 15 Oct. 2024
However, questions about his behavior, particularly during his dictatorial reign as owner of Harrods, plagued him until his death in August last year.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 27 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dictatorial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dictatorial
Adjective
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Get the ring that’s perfect for the woman, not the ring whose price tag aligns with an arbitrary algorithm. 18.Alexandra Macon, Vogue, 19 Dec. 2024
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This first study on ADHD, which was published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed the effect of arbitrary cut-off dates for enrollment in public schools on rates of diagnosis and treatment for ADHD.Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 17 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Key Background Prisoners fled Syrian prisons this week after Assad’s regime fell, marking the end of the Assad family’s authoritarian rule over the country after more than 50 years.Ty Roush, Forbes, 14 Dec. 2024
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If the impeachment is confirmed by the Constitutional Court, Yoon will become the fourth South Korean president — out of eight total — to be jailed or ousted since the nation democratized in 1987 after decades of authoritarian rule.Max Kim, Los Angeles Times, 14 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Some media outlets are surrendering to Trump already This absurd boasting — arrogant without portfolio — is just what Trump is looking for in the VOA job.Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 13 Dec. 2024
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The single-camera series follows the arrogant, loudmouth U.S. Army Colonel Patrick Quinn (Leary), who, after an unfiltered rant, is reassigned to the Netherlands, where he is punished with a command position at the least important army base in the world.Denise Petski, Deadline, 9 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Earlier this year, two teenagers filed a class-action lawsuit against a Kentucky youth detention center and its administrators, claiming that they were subjected to oppressive isolation, denied basic hygiene, showers, and medications, and forced to listen to a toddler song.Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY, 24 Dec. 2024
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Based on the classic Stephen King novel written under pen name Richard Bachman, The Running Man is set in an oppressive future where the government controls the media.Justin Kroll, Deadline, 20 Dec. 2024
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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The declaration of a battle between democracy and autocracy came with exemptions for autocratic partners in places like Riyadh and New Delhi.Ben Rhodes, Foreign Affairs, 13 Dec. 2024
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And some worry that HTS could slide into it's own kind of autocratic regime.NPR, NPR, 13 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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What China needed was something like a final emperor, the breaker of the despotic chain who would summon modernity by fiat.Chang Che, The New Yorker, 21 Dec. 2024
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Small steps toward normality are still sufficient, after decades of despotic rule that brought suffering to almost every household.Scott Peterson, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius (Paul Mescal) is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical twin emperors who now lead Rome with an iron fist.Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 15 Dec. 2024
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This has created a chain reaction throughout the Middle East of all those who want to be free from this oppressive and tyrannical regime.Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near dictatorial
Cite this Entry
“Dictatorial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dictatorial. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
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