Dictatorial — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

Dictatorial (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

1. exercising power or authority without interference by others

   "a dictatorial leader with total control over people's lives"

   similar: absolute, arbitrary, autocratic, czarist, despotic, monocratic, tyrannical, tyrannous
   related: authoritarian, jackbooted, oppressive, totalitarian, antidemocratic, antirepublican, high-handed, magisterial, domineering, imperious, masterful, all-powerful, almighty, omnipotent, autonomous, self-governing, self-ruling, sovereign, unconditional, unlimited
   opposite: limited
   near: circumscribed, restrained, restricted, constitutional, lawful, democratic, republican

2. fond of ordering people around

   "no surprise that the dictatorial manager is highly unpopular among employees"

   similar: authoritarian, authoritative, autocratic, bossy, despotic, domineering, imperious, masterful, overbearing, peremptory, tyrannical, tyrannous
   related: arrogant, assumptive, disdainful, fastuous, haughty, highfalutin, high-and-mighty, high-hat, huffy, important, lofty, lordly, overweening, presuming, presumptuous, pretentious, proud, self-asserting, supercilious, superior, toplofty, uppish, uppity, commanding, controlling, dictating, regimental, arbitrary, high-handed, imperial, directorial, magisterial, aggressive, assertive, self-assertive, imperative, conceited, narcissistic, pompous, vain, all-powerful, almighty, omnipotent, firm, stern
   near: humble, meek, modest, unassuming, amenable, docile, obedient, tractable, indecisive, irresolute, acquiescent, compliant, passive, resigned, submissive, yielding

3. having or showing a tendency to force one's will on others without any regard to fairness or necessity

   "even the teachers chafed under the dictatorial rule of the principal"

   similar: arbitrary, high-handed, imperious, peremptory, willful
   related: arrogant, commanding, demanding, dominant, domineering, haughty, imperative, lordly, masterful, overbearing, presumptuous, authoritarian, autocratic, despotic, totalitarian, tyrannical, tyrannous, capricious, changeable, erratic, inconsistent, mercurial, whimsical, biased, inequitable, partisan, prejudiced, unequal, unfair, unjust, unrealistic, unreasonable, unconscionable, unethical, unprincipled, unscrupulous
   near: balanced, disinterested, dispassionate, equal, equitable, evenhanded, fair, impartial, just, nonpartisan, objective, rational, reasonable, understanding, unbiased, unprejudiced, ethical, honorable, irreproachable, law-abiding, moral, principled, unimpeachable