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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
Last August, the long reign of Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh’s autocratic Prime Minister, was brought to a sudden end after bloody street rallies culminated in the sacking of her residence.
—
Kapil Komireddi, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
To One Piece fans, the flag symbolizes Luffy’s quest to chase his dreams, liberate oppressed people, and fight the autocratic World Government.
—Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2025
In fact, the choice Koreans faced at the end of 1948, between a one-party communist state and an autocratic liberalism, was between two options that had very little support at the beginning of the occupation.
—Kornel Chang
september 19, Literary Hub, 19 Sep. 2025
Petrostates—state actors dependent on fossil fuels for their sovereign wealth, who also veer towards autocratic rule to maintain tight control of their population—play an equally important role in the manufacturing and spread of antiscience propaganda.
—Michael E. Mann, Time, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for autocratic
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Kapil Komireddi, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
To One Piece fans, the flag symbolizes Luffy’s quest to chase his dreams, liberate oppressed people, and fight the autocratic World Government.
—Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2025
In fact, the choice Koreans faced at the end of 1948, between a one-party communist state and an autocratic liberalism, was between two options that had very little support at the beginning of the occupation.
—Kornel Chang
september 19, Literary Hub, 19 Sep. 2025
Petrostates—state actors dependent on fossil fuels for their sovereign wealth, who also veer towards autocratic rule to maintain tight control of their population—play an equally important role in the manufacturing and spread of antiscience propaganda.
—Michael E. Mann, Time, 17 Sep. 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 29 Sep. 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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