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 Since 2021, the state has been grappling with slowing economic output, weaning itself off a property market bubble, and trying to find a balance between promoting a free market and stock exchange within a one-party autocracy. — Joseph Wilkins,sean Conlon, CNBC, 10 Apr. 2026 Oil and autocracy in Venezuela The currency of exchange between America and Venezuela is oil. — Boris Muñoz, Time, 3 Apr. 2026 Researchers argued that career anxiety under autocracy creates both pro-regime henchmen and anti-regime plotters. — Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026 For example, in the 1930s, four major democracies (Germany, Japan, Italy, and Spain) became autocracies. — Ray Dalio, Fortune, 14 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for autocracy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for autocracy
  1. tyranny
  2. dictatorship
  3. fascism
  4. despotism
  5. authoritarianism
Noun
  • In its vision of a desolate America ruled by tyranny and militia, the United States becomes, in the eyes of those who live in its pre-industrial ruins, an idealized symbol of better times.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 3 July 2026
  • Reading words in legal texts divorced from fundamental moral values will not save us from tyranny.
    — Jeannie Suk Gersen, New Yorker, 2 July 2026
Definition of tyranny
Noun
  • Imagine the charge, the potency, of Russell’s argument for free expressions and inquiry to subjects of a theocratic dictatorship.
    — Matt Thompson, SPIN, 8 July 2026
  • Library Hours Peruse the hardcovers at Livraria Ler, a haven for Lisbon literati since 1970 that, in its early years, secretly sold books banned by the country’s dictatorship.
    — Adam Erace, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026
Definition of dictatorship
Noun
  • Voters have already handed a good chunk of democracy itself over to nationalist, religious and ideological fascism.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2026
  • The Soviet experience, on top of the rise of fascism, reminded my generation rather forcibly that man was, indeed, imperfect, and that the corruptions of power could unleash great evil in the world.
    — David Brooks, The Atlantic, 8 July 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
  • In the wake of rising instances of authoritarianism which scramble historical categories and precedents, does such a dilution matter?
    — Ara H. Merjian, ARTnews.com, 10 July 2026
  • Critics have accused him of authoritarianism and failing to hold long-due elections.
    — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 10 July 2026
Definition of authoritarianism

Browse Nearby Words

autochthons
autocracy
autocrat
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Cite this Entry

“Autocracy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/autocracy. Accessed 14 Jul. 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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