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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Oil and autocracy in Venezuela The currency of exchange between America and Venezuela is oil.
—
Boris Muñoz,
Time,
3 Apr. 2026
But in an autocracy with a leader who is quick to promote allies and punish dissenters, officials have far more reason to implement Xi’s policy preferences than to challenge them.
—
Michael Schuman,
The Atlantic,
1 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
Boris Muñoz,
Time,
3 Apr. 2026
But in an autocracy with a leader who is quick to promote allies and punish dissenters, officials have far more reason to implement Xi’s policy preferences than to challenge them.
—
Michael Schuman,
The Atlantic,
1 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
Noun
-
For every Founding Father looking to free the colonies from British tyranny, there was a Larry (often called Lawrence here) who suggests that sharing desserts and umbrellas should be prohibited by the Declaration of Independence.
-
In Shiite communities, Ashoura is viewed as a symbol of struggle against injustice and tyranny.
Noun
-
Building tension gave way to war in 1982, when Argentina, then under a brutal dictatorship, sent a military expedition to the islands.
-
Public anger over Chun’s dictatorship led to massive nationwide protests in 1987, forcing him to accept a constitutional revision introducing direct presidential elections, which is widely seen as the start of South Korea’s transition to democracy.
Noun
-
This book keeps my feet on the ground and my heart connected to the greater pulse suffering under late-stage capitalism and fascism.
-
Through blood-curdling howls and rants about fascism, fraud, and fighting to understand your identity, Truck Violence push through ugliness to find something more unaltered and real.
Noun
-
The nation which will not adopt an equilibrium of power must adopt a despotism.
-
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.
Noun
-
Rent it on most major platforms Forbidden to enter the stadium, several Iranian women sneak in dressed as men to watch a World Cup qualifying match in the master director Jafar Panahi’s movie about everyday defiance under authoritarianism.
-
The handmaids’ crimson robes evolved into protest iconography around the world because the story captured fears about authoritarianism and gender more viscerally than overt political messaging ever could.
Cite this Entry
“Autocracy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/autocracy. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
