autocratic

adjective

au·​to·​crat·​ic ˌȯ-tə-ˈkra-tik 

variants or less commonly autocratical

ˌȯ-tə-ˈkra-ti-kəl 

1

: of, relating to, or being an autocracy : absolute

an autocratic government

2

: characteristic of or resembling an autocrat : despotic

an autocratic ruler

autocratically

ˌȯ-tə-ˈkra-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Did you know?

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

• absolute
• arbitrary
• czarist
• tsarist
• tzarist
• despotic
• dictatorial
• monocratic
• tyrannical
• tyrannic
• tyrannous

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

What happens to a child growing up amidst the clamour of an autocratic regime? —Hazlitt, 3 Apr. 2024

This invulnerability to interdiction facilitates ties among Eurasia’s revisionists—just as the war in Ukraine pushes them closer together by making Russia more dependent on, and willing to cut deals with, its autocratic brethren. —Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 29 Mar. 2024

Ben-Gurion had autocratic tendencies and was consumed by party infighting during his later years in office. —Anshel Pfeffer, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2024

Russia’s autocratic president spent the first hour dragging his interlocutor along a languid tour of Russia’s history, beginning at the first East Slavic state in 862 and continuing into the modern era, with many detours along the way. —Noah Rothman, National Review, 9 Feb. 2024

After news of Kejriwal’s arrest broke, Gandhi condemned the government’s move as autocratic. —Gerry Shih, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2024

Gulf kingdoms share China’s autocratic model for governance but historically fall in line with Washington on security. —TIME, 20 Mar. 2024

For an autocratic regime such as Putin’s, the President’s strength depends on everyone’s belief in that strength. —Joshua Yaffa, The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2024

The two factions staged a coup in 2021 that derailed a previous transition following the 2019 overthrow of autocratic former leader Omar al-Bashir. —Reuters, CNN, 11 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

autocrat + -ic entry 1, in part after French autocratique

First Known Use

1769, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

autocratic

adjective

au·​to·​crat·​ic ˌȯt-ə-ˈkrat-ik 

: of, relating to, or resembling autocracy or an autocrat

autocratically

-ˈkrat-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb