dictator
noun
dic·ta·tor
ˈdik-ˌtā-tər 
dik-ˈtā-
1
a
: a person granted absolute emergency power
b
: one holding complete autocratic control : a person with unlimited governmental power
c
: one ruling in an absolute (see absolute sense 2) and often oppressive way
fascist dictators
2
: one who says or reads something for a person to transcribe or for a machine to record : one that dictates (see dictate entry 1 sense 1)
Synonyms
Examples of dictator in a Sentence
The country was ruled by a military dictator.
the dictator had a fierce stranglehold on the country, keeping its people in poverty and ignorance
Recent Examples on the Web
Trump’s critics often accuse him of being or aspiring to be a strongman, or an autocrat, or even a fascist dictator.
—
Foreign Affairs, 7 Nov. 2024
One in five Americans think Adolf Hitler, the dictator of Nazi Germany, did some good things, a new survey has found.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
But to chortle with a murderous, anti-American dictator over a former vice president . .
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 5 Nov. 2024
April 27: South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a Trump VP hopeful, comes under fire for detailing her decision to shoot a family dog and including a false anecdote about meeting with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un in her memoir.
—Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dictator 
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Foreign Affairs, 7 Nov. 2024
One in five Americans think Adolf Hitler, the dictator of Nazi Germany, did some good things, a new survey has found.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
But to chortle with a murderous, anti-American dictator over a former vice president . .
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 5 Nov. 2024
April 27: South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a Trump VP hopeful, comes under fire for detailing her decision to shoot a family dog and including a false anecdote about meeting with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un in her memoir.
—Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dictator
Dictionary Entries Near dictator
Cite this Entry
“Dictator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dictator. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dictator
noun
dic·ta·tor
ˈdik-ˌtāt-ər
dik-ˈtāt-ər
1
: a person who rules with total authority and often in a cruel or brutal manner
2
: one that dictates
dictatorial
adjective
ˌdik-tə-ˈtōr-ē-əl
-tȯr-
dictatorially
adverb
-ē-ə-lē
dictatorialness
noun
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