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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
In all of our studies, this mindset was also strongly associated with authoritarian attitudes, including beliefs that some groups should dominate others and support for autocratic government.
—
Abraham Rutchick, The Conversation, 15 Oct. 2025
The meeting in Beijing is the latest of several high-profile gatherings hosted by China in recent months, including a major summit of mostly autocratic leaders in August followed by a mammoth military parade days later.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 13 Oct. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for autocratic
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Abraham Rutchick, The Conversation, 15 Oct. 2025
The meeting in Beijing is the latest of several high-profile gatherings hosted by China in recent months, including a major summit of mostly autocratic leaders in August followed by a mammoth military parade days later.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 13 Oct. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for autocratic
Cite this Entry
“Autocratic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/autocratic. Accessed 19 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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