as in tyrant
a person who uses power or authority in a cruel, unjust, or harmful way
the dictator had a fierce stranglehold on the country, keeping its people in poverty and ignorance
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Recent Examples of dictator
His triumphs disproved Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler’s belief in white supremacy.
—
Lorenzino Estrada, AZCentral.com, 31 Mar. 2026
In 1976, with dictator Idi Amin aggressively opposing Israel, four terrorists hijacked Air France Flight 139 on its way from Tel Aviv to France.
—Paul Tilsley, FOXNews.com, 28 Mar. 2026
Iraq’s surprise invasion in 1980 served as a wind in the sails of the Guards, who saw their role drastically expanded to keep Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein’s forces at bay.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 28 Mar. 2026
The first of the publications Alonso discusses, The Clinic, took shape in the long shadow of Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dictator
Lorenzino Estrada, AZCentral.com, 31 Mar. 2026
In 1976, with dictator Idi Amin aggressively opposing Israel, four terrorists hijacked Air France Flight 139 on its way from Tel Aviv to France.
—Paul Tilsley, FOXNews.com, 28 Mar. 2026
Iraq’s surprise invasion in 1980 served as a wind in the sails of the Guards, who saw their role drastically expanded to keep Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein’s forces at bay.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 28 Mar. 2026
The first of the publications Alonso discusses, The Clinic, took shape in the long shadow of Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dictator
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dictator
tyrant
Noun
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Trump wants to rule over us as a tyrant.—
Killian Baarlaer,
Louisville Courier Journal,
28 Mar. 2026
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Colletti joins One Piece as Wapol, a tyrant and adversary to the Straw Hats.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dictator.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dictator. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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