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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
While the prize can amplify a cause, experts caution that its impact is often limited in autocratic contexts.
—
Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
The world itself is getting much more autocratic, in the same way that Israel is becoming more autocratic.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2025
Fears are growing among Venezuela’s leadership that the true goal of the US deployment is toppling the autocratic regime of President Nicolás Maduro, though some warn a military intervention could further destabilize the country.
—Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 6 Oct. 2025
That same energy appears to be in the streets of Belgrade now, sustained by a new generation of citizens standing firm against the tactic of a different autocratic leader.
—Hanna Begić, The Conversation, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for autocratic
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Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
The world itself is getting much more autocratic, in the same way that Israel is becoming more autocratic.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2025
Fears are growing among Venezuela’s leadership that the true goal of the US deployment is toppling the autocratic regime of President Nicolás Maduro, though some warn a military intervention could further destabilize the country.
—Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 6 Oct. 2025
That same energy appears to be in the streets of Belgrade now, sustained by a new generation of citizens standing firm against the tactic of a different autocratic leader.
—Hanna Begić, The Conversation, 29 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 15 Oct. 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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