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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
Power Without Reciprocity and Organizational Collapse Rome transitioned from a participatory republic to an autocratic empire.
—
Scott Hutcheson, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025
As the citizens of the state struggle to seize power back from an autocratic government, the story centers on Jamil, a war zone courier/smuggler, and Zora, a young leader in the Mulholland Resistance, who attempt to escape Occupied Los Angeles, a city under martial law.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 23 July 2025
Advertisement As autocratic states, the Gulf kingdoms were also eager clients for an Israeli tech sector that had grown out of its military.
—Karl Vick, Time, 19 June 2025
After 300 years of Romanov rule, the Russian people had grown tired of the autocratic monarchy.
—Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 June 2025
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Scott Hutcheson, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025
As the citizens of the state struggle to seize power back from an autocratic government, the story centers on Jamil, a war zone courier/smuggler, and Zora, a young leader in the Mulholland Resistance, who attempt to escape Occupied Los Angeles, a city under martial law.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 23 July 2025
Advertisement As autocratic states, the Gulf kingdoms were also eager clients for an Israeli tech sector that had grown out of its military.
—Karl Vick, Time, 19 June 2025
After 300 years of Romanov rule, the Russian people had grown tired of the autocratic monarchy.
—Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 June 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 7 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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