dictatorship

The word “dictatorship” means a form of government in which one person or small group holds total, unchecked power. In plain terms, rule by one person or small group with total power and no real accountability.

“Dictatorship” is pronounced dihk-TAY-tuh-shihp (/ˈdɪkteɪtəɹʃɪp/ in IPA).

Here is “dictatorship” used in a sentence: “The country fell into a military dictatorship after the coup.”

Words with a similar meaning to “dictatorship” include absolutism, autocracy, despotism and tyranny.

“Dictatorship” is a noun.

“Dictatorship” is an uncommon word in modern English.

“Dictatorship” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a form of government in which one person or small group holds total, unchecked power.

A dictatorship is a form of government in which one person or small group holds total, unchecked power, while a democracy distributes power among citizens through elections and institutional checks. In a dictatorship, there are typically no free elections or independent courts to limit the ruler's authority, unlike in a democratic system.

Yes, "dictatorship" can describe any situation or organization run with total, one-sided control, even outside government, such as a workplace or household described as run like a dictatorship. This figurative use extends the political meaning to any context of unchecked authority.

"Dictatorship" refers specifically to concentrated, unchecked power held by one person or a small group, while "totalitarianism" describes a broader system that seeks to control nearly all aspects of public and private life, including ideology and culture. Many totalitarian states are also dictatorships, but the terms emphasize different aspects of control.