autocracy

noun

ȯ-ˈtä-krə-sē How to pronounce autocracy (audio)
Definition of autocracynext
as in tyranny
a system of government in which the ruler has unlimited power the Magna Carta is historically important because it signified the British rejection of autocracy and constituted the first formal restraining of the power of the monarch

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of autocracy The monastic Wiesler eventually comes to believe Dreyman is harmless and in the process doubts the very foundations of autocracy itself. — David Faris, TheWeek, 27 July 2026 Worse, many of the 92 autocracies around the world are becoming more repressive. — José Kaire, Fortune, 19 July 2026 About half of all autocracies have experienced similar trajectories after opening their economies. — José Kaire, The Conversation, 17 July 2026 In spite of their original values of humanitarianism and neutrality, these organizations have been morally debased from within, using the language of human rights and international justice yet deploying it on behalf of autocracies and against the liberal democracies that created them. — Simon Sebag Montefiore, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for autocracy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for autocracy
  1. tyranny
  2. dictatorship
  3. fascism
  4. despotism
  5. authoritarianism
Noun
  • While Queen Romana projected the image of a supreme ruler who alternated between benevolence and tyranny, Didulo the person was all too human.
    — Zander Sherman, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Fandom has been around since the advent of mass media, but with that old world dying and the new one (bluntly summarized, its main features are social media plus the tyranny of the algorithm) very much born, now is the time of fangirls.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of tyranny
Noun
  • This was a time of right wing dictatorships in some Latin American countries.
    — Chick Pritchard, Hartford Courant, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Democratic change culminated with the election in 1998 of President Kim Dae-jung, a heroic opponent of dictatorship.
    — Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of dictatorship
Noun
  • The city is most associated with two things, European high culture and the rise of fascism.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Following the pandemic and resurgence of fascism and brutal deceits, and picking up on the discussions of shame found in My 1980s Gayboy Playlist, Ashby has now focused on indignity and intolerance.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of fascism
Noun
  • The nation which will not adopt an equilibrium of power must adopt a despotism.
    — Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026
  • His dream was nothing less than a new reality, a hopeful future free of despotism, ruled by equality and liberty, rather than kings and queens.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 June 2026
Definition of despotism
Noun
  • So many people who influence public opinion in the United States do so in a damaging and unproductive way because the problem of creeping authoritarianism doesn’t affect them personally.
    — Sarah Batcha, Daily News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Mayor Brandon Johnson said Chicago would not yield to authoritarianism and pledged to continue investing in communities that have long been overlooked.
    — Lila Hempel-Edgers, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of authoritarianism

Browse Nearby Words

autochthons
autocracy
autocrat
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Autocracy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/autocracy. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on autocracy

Nglish: Translation of autocracy for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about autocracy

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