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
When the Syrian Assad regime was toppled, many outside Syria assumed Christians were aligned with the dictator.
—
Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Newsweek, 4 Feb. 2025
Marc Caputo Jan 18, 2025 - Energy & Climate
Trump's team wants Maduro to leave Venezuela
The incoming Trump administration wants regime change in Venezuela, where dictator Nicolás Maduro stole his election, jailed a rival and this month even threatened to invade the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico.
—Avery Lotz, Axios, 3 Feb. 2025
Having been tapped by President Trump, very soon Rep. Elise Stefanik will step away from her upstate congressional district and make a fine ambassador to the United Nations, taking on the Russians, Chinese, Iranians, North Koreans and various other dictators and tyrants on the East Side.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 3 Feb. 2025
When Biden was president, Miami’s congress members criticized the Democratic president for engaging directly with Maduro, accusing him of working with a dictator in exchange for foreign oil.
—Claire Healy, Miami Herald, 2 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for dictator 
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Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Newsweek, 4 Feb. 2025
Marc Caputo Jan 18, 2025 - Energy & Climate
Trump's team wants Maduro to leave Venezuela
The incoming Trump administration wants regime change in Venezuela, where dictator Nicolás Maduro stole his election, jailed a rival and this month even threatened to invade the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico.
—Avery Lotz, Axios, 3 Feb. 2025
Having been tapped by President Trump, very soon Rep. Elise Stefanik will step away from her upstate congressional district and make a fine ambassador to the United Nations, taking on the Russians, Chinese, Iranians, North Koreans and various other dictators and tyrants on the East Side.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 3 Feb. 2025
When Biden was president, Miami’s congress members criticized the Democratic president for engaging directly with Maduro, accusing him of working with a dictator in exchange for foreign oil.
—Claire Healy, Miami Herald, 2 Feb. 2025
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 13 Feb. 2025.
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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