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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
Iran's autocratic regime has quashed several previous waves of unrest, violently, and the source in Tehran told CBS News there was significant fear among many people that the current protests would draw a similar draconian crackdown.
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Tucker Reals, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
Javier Corrales, an expert on Venezuelan politics, tells Isaac Chotiner about the autocratic methods that Maduro used to maintain power, and what might happen to the regime in his absence.
—Ian Crouch, New Yorker, 7 Jan. 2026
What interpretive engagement reveals is that since its inception MAGA marked a dramatic ideological mutation on the right, a homegrown fusion of celebrity, neoliberal boss culture, Christian nationalism, and autocratic notions of the executive.
—Jason Blakely, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
The attack was a major test for the warming ties between the United States and Syria since the ouster of autocratic leader Bashar Assad a year ago.
—Arkansas Online, 20 Dec. 2025
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Tucker Reals, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
Javier Corrales, an expert on Venezuelan politics, tells Isaac Chotiner about the autocratic methods that Maduro used to maintain power, and what might happen to the regime in his absence.
—Ian Crouch, New Yorker, 7 Jan. 2026
What interpretive engagement reveals is that since its inception MAGA marked a dramatic ideological mutation on the right, a homegrown fusion of celebrity, neoliberal boss culture, Christian nationalism, and autocratic notions of the executive.
—Jason Blakely, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
The attack was a major test for the warming ties between the United States and Syria since the ouster of autocratic leader Bashar Assad a year ago.
—Arkansas Online, 20 Dec. 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 13 Jan. 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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