Meaning & use

dictator

noun·Academic

A ruler who holds absolute power over a country, typically seized or maintained by force.

See it in a sentence

The dictator banned all opposition parties within months of seizing control of the government.

Historians compared the general to earlier dictators who crushed dissent without hesitation.

A note on using this word

Dictator almost always carries a negative connotation today, implying rule without consent and suppression of political freedom.

Words with a similar meaning

tyrantautocratdespot

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

democrat

Make it your own

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