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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
This nonfiction account from the Pulitzer-prize winning writer analyzes 21st century autocratic states worldwide, and how democracies can best organize underneath them.
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Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Taiwan’s parties, in other words, portray their opponents not just as politically different but as autocratic traitors.
—Lev Nachman, Foreign Affairs, 1 Aug. 2025
Europe's democratic values must not be compromised by developing procurement chains from autocratic states.
—Jesse Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 July 2025
The Shah was becoming more and more autocratic and out-of-touch with Iranians.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 13 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for autocratic
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Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Taiwan’s parties, in other words, portray their opponents not just as politically different but as autocratic traitors.
—Lev Nachman, Foreign Affairs, 1 Aug. 2025
Europe's democratic values must not be compromised by developing procurement chains from autocratic states.
—Jesse Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 July 2025
The Shah was becoming more and more autocratic and out-of-touch with Iranians.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 13 July 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 20 Aug. 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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