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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
Government institutions run by lackeys are also more easily manipulated by autocratic leaders, and no longer serve the public interest.
—
Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 30 Jan. 2026
It’s also tinged with irony since, as his homeland’s de facto opposition leader, Rahman’s speeches had been banned from local media for a decade by autocratic former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 28 Jan. 2026
That could mean the AI itself seizing power, autocratic states using it for repression, or individuals creating bioweapons.
—semafor.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Carney shot back that his nation can be an example that the world does not have to bend toward autocratic tendencies.
—CBS News, 24 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for autocratic
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Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 30 Jan. 2026
It’s also tinged with irony since, as his homeland’s de facto opposition leader, Rahman’s speeches had been banned from local media for a decade by autocratic former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 28 Jan. 2026
That could mean the AI itself seizing power, autocratic states using it for repression, or individuals creating bioweapons.
—semafor.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Carney shot back that his nation can be an example that the world does not have to bend toward autocratic tendencies.
—CBS News, 24 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for autocratic
Cite this Entry
“Autocratic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/autocratic. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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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