as in ruler
one who rules over a people with a sole, supreme, and usually hereditary authority
European autocrats once commonly believed that they had received the right to rule directly from God
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Recent Examples of autocrat
The strategic logic mirrors survival patterns of past regional autocrats.
—
Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Maduro was an autocrat with weak popular backing whose departure has certainly been welcomed by many of Venezuela’s citizens and celebrated by a vibrant diaspora.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 5 Jan. 2026
Maduro ruled Venezuela's 28 million people as an autocrat, imprisoning his opposition and leaving the economy of an oil rich nation in shambles.
—Scott Pelley, CBS News, 5 Jan. 2026
There is little dispute that Maduro was an evil, corrupt autocrat who undermined Venezuelan elections, with his brutality leading to the flight of 8 million refugees and impoverishing his resource-rich land.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 3 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for autocrat
Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Maduro was an autocrat with weak popular backing whose departure has certainly been welcomed by many of Venezuela’s citizens and celebrated by a vibrant diaspora.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 5 Jan. 2026
Maduro ruled Venezuela's 28 million people as an autocrat, imprisoning his opposition and leaving the economy of an oil rich nation in shambles.
—Scott Pelley, CBS News, 5 Jan. 2026
There is little dispute that Maduro was an evil, corrupt autocrat who undermined Venezuelan elections, with his brutality leading to the flight of 8 million refugees and impoverishing his resource-rich land.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 3 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for autocrat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for autocrat
Noun
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Discovering a site like this allows archaeologists to further understand the culture and society of early medieval England, when the country was fragmented into several kingdoms but rulers like Offa were beginning to unify it and Alfred the Great was fighting off Viking invaders.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
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And third, taking Maduro off the board was a force-multiplier for the administration’s Cuba policy, which centers on increasing economic pressure on the island until its aging rulers either wither away or negotiate their own demise.—
Daniel DePetris,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Learn about Hawaiian history at ‘Iolani Palace in Honolulu, the former royal residence of the last reigning monarchs of Hawaii.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Feb. 2026
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Last week, the British monarch forced his brother to vacate his longtime home at Royal Lodge near Windsor Castle.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Autocrat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/autocrat. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
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