of or characteristic of a dictator tending to dictate; tyrannical; overbearing
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
dic•ta•to•ri•al /ˌdɪktəˈtɔriəl/USA pronunciation
adj. overly demanding;
domineering:I resented his dictatorial manner. See -dict-.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- of or relating to a dictator:a president with no dictatorial powers.
domineering:I resented his dictatorial manner.
dic•ta•to•ri•al
(dik′tə tôr′ē əl, -tōr′-),USA pronunciation adj.
dic′ta•to′ri•al•ly, adv.
dic′ta•to′ri•al•ness, n.
- Governmentof or pertaining to a dictator or dictatorship.
- Governmentappropriate to, or characteristic of, a dictator;
absolute;
unlimited:dictatorial powers in wartime. - inclined to dictate or command;
imperious;
overbearing:a dictatorial attitude.
- Latin dictātōri(us) (equivalent. to dictā(re) (see dictate) + -tōrius -tory1) + -al1
- 1695–1705
dic′ta•to′ri•al•ness, n.
- 2.See corresponding entry in Unabridged totalitarian.
- 3.See corresponding entry in Unabridged despotic, tyrannical, autocratic.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'dictatorial' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Big Brother
- absolute
- arbitrary
- authoritarian
- authoritative
- autocrat
- autocratic
- czarist
- dogmatic
- fascist
- fugitive
- hand
- imperious
- intolerant
- magisterial
- man
- man on horseback
- overbearing
- peremptory
- person
- regime
- tin god
- totalitarian
- tyrannical
- woman