despotism
9 synonyms for despotism, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — Rule by one person or a small group holding total power, often in a harsh, oppressive way.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Etymology
From French despotisme, equivalent to despot plus -ism.
Full origin of despotism →