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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
The authority’s popularity has been weakened by corruption and autocratic rule, its failure to establish an independent state while Israel expands West Bank settlements, and divisions with Hamas.
—
Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
The country was once very free online, remarkable given President Vladimir Putin’s autocratic rule, but more recently access to global messaging apps has been restricted and the internet has been completely shut down at times as Moscow has sought to silence criticism.
—Semafor Events, semafor.com, 24 Apr. 2026
This occurred in an enormous nation with an autocratic history.
—Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
Their intrepid and autocratic driver, Ian Stewart, stubbornly refused to make pit stops on long road trips so the guys could have a pee.
—Literary Hub, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for autocratic
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Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
The country was once very free online, remarkable given President Vladimir Putin’s autocratic rule, but more recently access to global messaging apps has been restricted and the internet has been completely shut down at times as Moscow has sought to silence criticism.
—Semafor Events, semafor.com, 24 Apr. 2026
This occurred in an enormous nation with an autocratic history.
—Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
Their intrepid and autocratic driver, Ian Stewart, stubbornly refused to make pit stops on long road trips so the guys could have a pee.
—Literary Hub, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for autocratic
Cite this Entry
“Autocratic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/autocratic. Accessed 28 Apr. 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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