Synonyms for dictatorial
ˌdɪk təˈtɔr i əl, -ˈtoʊr-dic·ta·to·ri·al

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:5.0 / 1 vote

1. dictatorial

   In the strict sense, absolute, free from all limitation or control, and supreme, superior to all, can not properly be said of any being except the divine. Both words are used, however, in a modified sense, of human authorities; absolute then signifying free from limitation by other authority, and supreme exalted over all other; as, an absolute monarch, the supreme court. Absolute, in this use, does not necessarily carry any unfavorable sense, but as absolute power in human hands is always abused, the unfavorable meaning predominates. Autocratic power knows no limits outside the ruler's self; arbitrary power, none outside the ruler's will or judgment, arbitrary carrying the implication of wilfulness and capriciousness. Despotic is commonly applied to a masterful or severe use of power, which is expressed more decidedly by tyrannical. Arbitrary may be used in a good sense; as, the pronunciation of proper names is arbitrary; but the bad sense is the prevailing one; as, an arbitrary proceeding. Irresponsible power is not necessarily bad, but eminently dangerous; an executor or trustee should not be irresponsible; an irresponsible ruler is likely to be tyrannical. A perfect ruler might be irresponsible and not tyrannical. Authoritative is used always in a good sense, implying the right to claim authority; imperative, peremptory, and positive are used ordinarily in the good sense; as, an authoritative definition; an imperative demand; a peremptory command; positive instructions; imperious signifies assuming and determined to command, rigorously requiring obedience. An imperious demand or requirement may have in it nothing offensive; it is simply one that resolutely insists upon compliance, and will not brook refusal; an arrogant demand is offensive by its tone of superiority, an arbitrary demand by its unreasonableness; an imperious disposition is liable to become arbitrary and arrogant. A person of an independent spirit is inclined to resent an imperious manner in any one, especially in one whose superiority is not clearly recognized. Commanding is always used in a good sense; as, a commanding appearance; a commanding eminence. Compare DOGMATIC; INFINITE; PERFECT.

   Synonyms:
   absolute, arbitrary, arrogant, authoritative, autocratic, coercive, commanding, compulsive, compulsory, controlling, despotic, dogmatic, domineering, exacting, haughty, imperative, imperious, irresponsible, lordly, overbearing, peremptory, positive, supreme, tyrannical, unconditional, unequivocal

   Antonyms:
   accountable, complaisant, compliant, conditional, constitutional, contingent, docile, ductile, gentle, humble, lenient, limited, lowly, meek, mild, responsible, submissive, yielding

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. dictatorialadjective

   of or characteristic of a dictator

   "dictatorial powers"

   Synonyms:
   authoritarian, tyrannic, despotic, autocratic, tyrannical, overbearing

   Antonyms:
   democratic, submissive

2. authoritarian, dictatorial, overbearingadjective

   expecting unquestioning obedience

   "the timid child of authoritarian parents"; "insufferably overbearing behavior toward the waiter"

   Synonyms:
   tyrannical, sniffy, overbearing, haughty, despotic, lordly, autocratic, authoritarian, prideful, imperious, swaggering, supercilious, disdainful, tyrannic

   Antonyms:
   submissive, democratic

3. authoritarian, autocratic, dictatorial, despotic, tyrannic, tyrannicaladjective

   characteristic of an absolute ruler or absolute rule; having absolute sovereignty

   "an authoritarian regime"; "autocratic government"; "despotic rulers"; "a dictatorial rule that lasted for the duration of the war"; "a tyrannical government"

   Synonyms:
   tyrannical, despotical, overbearing, despotic, high-and-mighty, autocratic, authoritarian, oppressive, bossy, magisterial, peremptory, tyrannous, dominating, tyrannic

   Antonyms:
   democratic, submissive

Editors ContributionRate these synonyms:5.0 / 1 vote

1. my-way-or-the-highway

   acting like a dictator; an ego-driven, selfish, inconsiderate.

   Submitted by rinat on August 26, 2019  

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. dictatorialadjective

   Synonyms:
   absolute, unlimited, unrestricted

2. dictatorialadjective

   Synonyms:
   imperious, authoritative, overbearing, domineering, tyrannical

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. dictatorialadjective

   Synonyms:
   imperious, dogmatical, overbearing

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "dictatorial":

   authoritarian, autocratic, imperious, totalitarian

How to pronounce dictatorial?

How to say dictatorial in sign language?

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

1. [["1607","2"],["1648","1"],["1659","1"],["1660","1"],["1718","1"],["1720","2"],["1723","1"],["1724","1"],["1727","1"],["1731","1"],["1732","1"],["1735","6"],["1737","7"],["1741","7"],["1742","1"],["1743","9"],["1744","3"],["1745","2"],["1747","5"],["1748","5"],["1749","2"],["1750","5"],["1751","4"],["1752","6"],["1753","8"],["1754","7"],["1755","21"],["1756","5"],["1757","5"],["1758","16"],["1759","7"],["1760","11"],["1761","14"],["1762","5"],["1763","13"],["1764","14"],["1765","7"],["1766","14"],["1767","12"],["1768","12"],["1769","5"],["1770","8"],["1771","8"],["1772","8"],["1773","15"],["1774","35"],["1775","22"],["1776","14"],["1777","13"],["1778","10"],["1779","12"],["1780","16"],["1781","10"],["1782","6"],["1783","28"],["1784","19"],["1785","15"],["1786","28"],["1787","39"],["1788","37"],["1789","26"],["1790","18"],["1791","20"],["1792","57"],["1793","41"],["1794","36"],["1795","37"],["1796","34"],["1797","35"],["1798","51"],["1799","30"],["1800","62"],["1801","119"],["1802","76"],["1803","52"],["1804","99"],["1805","78"],["1806","131"],["1807","104"],["1808","78"],["1809","127"],["1810","101"],["1811","156"],["1812","91"],["1813","87"],["1814","109"],["1815","103"],["1816","138"],["1817","102"],["1818","169"],["1819","122"],["1820","166"],["1821","130"],["1822","189"],["1823","254"],["1824","178"],["1825","343"],["1826","153"],["1827","282"],["1828","213"],["1829","190"],["1830","238"],["1831","180"],["1832","235"],["1833","152"],["1834","234"],["1835","299"],["1836","275"],["1837","321"],["1838","301"],["1839","263"],["1840","353"],["1841","227"],["1842","195"],["1843","228"],["1844","289"],["1845","400"],["1846","458"],["1847","374"],["1848","486"],["1849","439"],["1850","426"],["1851","387"],["1852","526"],["1853","550"],["1854","745"],["1855","610"],["1856","607"],["1857","559"],["1858","443"],["1859","534"],["1860","534"],["1861","366"],["1862","285"],["1863","301"],["1864","485"],["1865","445"],["1866","395"],["1867","289"],["1868","376"],["1869","376"],["1870","334"],["1871","437"],["1872","375"],["1873","332"],["1874","574"],["1875","429"],["1876","449"],["1877","599"],["1878","525"],["1879","542"],["1880","588"],["1881","553"],["1882","733"],["1883","679"],["1884","681"],["1885","764"],["1886","591"],["1887","726"],["1888","596"],["1889","530"],["1890","672"],["1891","765"],["1892","593"],["1893","627"],["1894","664"],["1895","654"],["1896","730"],["1897","631"],["1898","888"],["1899","1018"],["1900","1062"],["1901","1038"],["1902","939"],["1903","853"],["1904","1046"],["1905","912"],["1906","1066"],["1907","945"],["1908","1135"],["1909","806"],["1910","1053"],["1911","931"],["1912","1009"],["1913","964"],["1914","887"],["1915","875"],["1916","944"],["1917","790"],["1918","722"],["1919","1056"],["1920","1154"],["1921","871"],["1922","1005"],["1923","1005"],["1924","769"],["1925","964"],["1926","890"],["1927","991"],["1928","1499"],["1929","1123"],["1930","1518"],["1931","1285"],["1932","1295"],["1933","1391"],["1934","1986"],["1935","2497"],["1936","2400"],["1937","2602"],["1938","3560"],["1939","3861"],["1940","2979"],["1941","2759"],["1942","2646"],["1943","2224"],["1944","2088"],["1945","2477"],["1946","2823"],["1947","3022"],["1948","3121"],["1949","3430"],["1950","3428"],["1951","2829"],["1952","3058"],["1953","2805"],["1954","3109"],["1955","3164"],["1956","3353"],["1957","3288"],["1958","3371"],["1959","4255"],["1960","4917"],["1961","5136"],["1962","5926"],["1963","5868"],["1964","6190"],["1965","7358"],["1966","6778"],["1967","7287"],["1968","7660"],["1969","7404"],["1970","7834"],["1971","7192"],["1972","6476"],["1973","6706"],["1974","6750"],["1975","5825"],["1976","5984"],["1977","6074"],["1978","6349"],["1979","6284"],["1980","6222"],["1981","5868"],["1982","5974"],["1983","5812"],["1984","6625"],["1985","6547"],["1986","7149"],["1987","6718"],["1988","7673"],["1989","7958"],["1990","8257"],["1991","7990"],["1992","8751"],["1993","9085"],["1994","8721"],["1995","9661"],["1996","10035"],["1997","10441"],["1998","10791"],["1999","11048"],["2000","11960"],["2001","11895"],["2002","13005"],["2003","13900"],["2004","14886"],["2005","15008"],["2006","15469"],["2007","16992"],["2008","18306"]]

Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use dictatorial in a sentence?

1. Dwight D. Eisenhower:

   If all that Americans want is security, they can go to prison. They'll have enough to eat, a bed and a roof over their heads. But if an American wants to preserve his dignity and his equality as a human being, he must not bow his neck to any dictatorial government.

2. Robert Menendez:

   Trading Mr Gross for three convicted criminals sets and extremely dangerous precedent, it invites dictatorial and rogue regimes to use Americans serving overseas as bargaining chips.

3. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo:

   And the worst possible thing he could do at this moment - to act dictatorial and to act in a partisan, divisive way, keep the politics out of it.

4. Zeph Capo:

   Having body parts exposed is one thing. Turning someone away because their hair's in rollers... is a little ridiculous, this is an issue of a principal issuing a dictatorial edict rather than having substantive conversation.

5. Mo Brooks:

   Sadly, violence and threats of violence targeting America's political institutions are far too common, although this terrorist's motivation is not yet publicly known, and generally speaking, I understand citizenry anger directed at dictatorial Socialism and its threat to liberty, freedom and the very fabric of society. The way to stop Socialism's march is for patriotic Americans to fight back in the 2022 and 2024 elections.