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 central question is whether the rise of autocrats is reversible.
—
Max Hastings, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for autocrat
Max Hastings, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for autocrat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for autocrat
Noun
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Your co-ruler, go-getter Mars, enters the same sector on March 2, which throws more fuel behind any endeavor tied to expressing yourself or being more spontaneous and lighthearted with your nearest and dearest.—
Maressa Brown,
InStyle,
25 Feb. 2026
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There’s nothing wicked rulers love more than to kill all hope and instill maximum fear.—
Chris John Amorosino,
Hartford Courant,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
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All doubled down on the idea that the monarch’s primary attribute should be a sense of duty — something Edward, in the popular imagination, lacked.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
22 Feb. 2026
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After Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest, the British monarch released a statement saying law enforcement has the royal family’s full and wholehearted support and co-operation.—
Lorena O’Neil,
Rolling Stone,
21 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Autocrat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/autocrat. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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