dictatorship
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
a country or government ruled by a leader with total power.
a state or government under the absolute authority of an individual or a small group, often lacking democratic processes.
Simple“The country suffered for decades under a brutal military dictatorship.”
In context“The transition from a long-standing dictatorship to a functioning democracy requires significant institutional reform and the restoration of civil liberties.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
the state of having total control over something.
the exercise of absolute sovereignty or autocratic rule within a specific context.
Simple“The leader maintained a strict dictatorship over every aspect of national life.”
In context“The constitution was suspended, effectively establishing a dictatorship that bypassed all legislative oversight.”
Synonymsabsolutismdespotism - 03 C1 Advanced
a situation where one person in a group or family makes all the rules and does not listen to others.
the metaphorical application of autocratic control to a non-governmental organisation, household, or institution.
Simple“My older brother ran the household like a dictatorship while our parents were away.”
In context“The office was managed as a benevolent dictatorship, where the founder made every minor decision without consulting the staff.”
Synonyms
“Rubens Paiva, a civil engineer and politician who was murdered by the military dictatorship in Brazil.”
“After the end of the Franco dictatorship in 1975 , Almodóvar picked up thousands of underground followers in Madrid and Barcelona.”
From dictator + -ship.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.