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Autos in Greek means "same" or "self", so in an autocratic government all the power is held by the leader him- or herself. Autocratic governments are often called dictatorships, or sometimes autocracies. In everyday life, a teacher, a parent, or a football coach can all behave like autocrats as well.
Examples of autocratic in a Sentence
democracy is supposed to protect the people against the rise of autocratic rulers
an autocratic Boy Scout leader who is under the delusion that he's still an army colonel
Recent Examples on the Web
While the parade honors the Army, some Democrats have accused Trump of using the anniversary as an excuse to mark his birthday, comparing the event to the military parades of autocratic regimes such as Russia and North Korea.
—
Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 June 2025
Sadly, an administration that is willing to respond with lethal force to the concerns of its citizenry clearly displays its determination to establish an autocratic state.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 11 June 2025
The difference this year is that the more autocratic or erratic leaders there are in power, the harder normal forecasting becomes, because macroeconomic dynamics get out of whack – like how Putin’s war, which was horrible in itself, also came with this secondary scourge of inflation.
—Annika Pham, Variety, 10 June 2025
Nicaragua, under the dictatorship of Daniel Ortega and his wife Rosario Murillo, is a clear example of the politically motivated use of migration by an autocratic regime.
—Juan Sebastián Chamarro, National Review, 8 June 2025
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Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 June 2025
Sadly, an administration that is willing to respond with lethal force to the concerns of its citizenry clearly displays its determination to establish an autocratic state.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 11 June 2025
The difference this year is that the more autocratic or erratic leaders there are in power, the harder normal forecasting becomes, because macroeconomic dynamics get out of whack – like how Putin’s war, which was horrible in itself, also came with this secondary scourge of inflation.
—Annika Pham, Variety, 10 June 2025
Nicaragua, under the dictatorship of Daniel Ortega and his wife Rosario Murillo, is a clear example of the politically motivated use of migration by an autocratic regime.
—Juan Sebastián Chamarro, National Review, 8 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for autocratic
Cite this Entry
“Autocratic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/autocratic. Accessed 16 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
autocratic
adjective
au·to·crat·ic
ˌȯt-ə-ˈkrat-ik 
: of, relating to, or resembling autocracy or an autocrat
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