as in ruler
one who rules over a people with a sole, supreme, and usually hereditary authority
European autocrats once commonly believed that they had received the right to rule directly from God
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Recent Examples of autocrat
Perhaps the most radical element of republicanism was that the nation’s sovereignty would be held by its citizenry rather than by a monarch or an autocrat.
—
Tyler Green,
The Atlantic,
21 May 2026
The Administration’s cowboy capture of the Venezuelan autocrat Nicolás Maduro, on January 3rd, prompted an airspace closure in the Caribbean, stranding many populations, none as humbled as the American tourists, gone to the islands for rest and relaxation over the winter holiday.
—
Doreen St. Félix,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
Meanwhile, Turner maintained a friendly rapport with the late Cuban autocrat Fidel Castro.
—
David Folkenflik,
NPR,
6 May 2026
Almost overnight, countries that had long outsourced their energy security to autocrats found their supplies cut, and their economies shaken.
—
Jennifer Granholm,
semafor.com,
30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for autocrat
Tyler Green,
The Atlantic,
21 May 2026
The Administration’s cowboy capture of the Venezuelan autocrat Nicolás Maduro, on January 3rd, prompted an airspace closure in the Caribbean, stranding many populations, none as humbled as the American tourists, gone to the islands for rest and relaxation over the winter holiday.
—
Doreen St. Félix,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
Meanwhile, Turner maintained a friendly rapport with the late Cuban autocrat Fidel Castro.
—
David Folkenflik,
NPR,
6 May 2026
Almost overnight, countries that had long outsourced their energy security to autocrats found their supplies cut, and their economies shaken.
—
Jennifer Granholm,
semafor.com,
30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for autocrat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for autocrat
Noun
-
Mnangagwa has been in power since 2017, when the military backed the ouster of his mentor and Zimbabwe's longtime ruler, Robert Mugabe, who died in 2019.
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Democracies are composed of citizens with free will, not subjects cowering at the feet of rulers.
Noun
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The British monarch meets with the prime minister every week.
-
The Dutch monarchs, who were joined by their daughter Princess Ariane, began the day by watching Holland rout Sweden 5-1 in a Group F match.
Cite this Entry
“Autocrat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/autocrat. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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