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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.
Synonyms of autocratic
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
By failing to challenge India’s support for an autocratic regime, the United States inadvertently opened the door for China.
—
Muhib Rahman, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2025
The autocratic leader no longer makes such claims.
—Stefano Pozzebon, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2025
Moraes was operating within a young and fragile constitution ratified in 1988 after years of autocratic rule, Brandao said, one that had failed so far to stem pervasive corruption in the country.
—Ron Kampeas, The Washington Examiner, 7 Nov. 2025
Trump has borrowed liberally (or perhaps more accurately, illiberally) from Orbán’s playbook for autocratic capture, and now Orbán is seeking favors in return.
—Kim Lane Scheppele, Time, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for autocratic
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Muhib Rahman, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2025
The autocratic leader no longer makes such claims.
—Stefano Pozzebon, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2025
Moraes was operating within a young and fragile constitution ratified in 1988 after years of autocratic rule, Brandao said, one that had failed so far to stem pervasive corruption in the country.
—Ron Kampeas, The Washington Examiner, 7 Nov. 2025
Trump has borrowed liberally (or perhaps more accurately, illiberally) from Orbán’s playbook for autocratic capture, and now Orbán is seeking favors in return.
—Kim Lane Scheppele, Time, 6 Nov. 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 Nov. 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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