autocracy

noun

au·​toc·​ra·​cy ȯ-ˈtä-krə-sē 

plural autocracies

1

: the authority or rule of an autocrat

2

: government in which one person possesses unlimited power

3

: a community or state governed by autocracy

Synonyms of autocracy

• tyranny
• dictatorship
• fascism
• despotism
• authoritarianism
• Communism

Examples of autocracy in a Sentence

the Magna Carta is historically important because it signified the British rejection of autocracy and constituted the first formal restraining of the power of the monarch

Recent Examples on the Web

Amodei’s essay covers a lot of ground, from existential threats to fighting autocracy to saving jobs. —Joe McKendrick, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026

Democracies, Amodei wrote, must move fast to outpace autocracies yet carefully to avoid catastrophe; China chip export controls, research into safe AI, and regulations on AI transparency will be vital. —semafor.com, 27 Jan. 2026

Those educated in the rise and fall of nations understand that the path is short from reactive government intervention to institutional oppressive autocracy. —Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 21 Jan. 2026

The United States had never had the kind of all-encompassing domestic-security apparatus common in autocracies, whose interior departments function as political police. —Nick Miroff, The Atlantic, 17 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

earlier, "self-control," borrowed from Greek autokrateîa "self-control, power over oneself," from autokratḗs "ruling by itself (of a mind), with sole authority (for a task)" + -ia -y entry 2 — more at autocrat

Note: The word acquired the present meaning under the influence of Latin autocratōr (from about the fifth century on) and Greek autokrátōr, meaning "with sole authority," and later by association with autocrat. See note at autocrat.

First Known Use

1659, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for autocracy

• bureaucracy
• democracy
• hypocrisy
• plutocracy
• theocracy
• aristocracy
• meritocracy

Kids Definition

autocracy

noun

au·​toc·​ra·​cy ȯ-ˈtäk-rə-sē 

plural autocracies

: government in which one person has unlimited power