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
Trump’s relationship with Putin in the spotlight Trump has had a famously warm relationship with Putin over the years, often praising the Russian autocrat.
—
Zac Anderson, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2025
As autocrats commonly do, Trump is seeking control over the national capital in order to intimidate and squelch dissent.
—Robert Weissman, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Aug. 2025
Make this a contest between fast new trains and an aging autocrat, and California wins.
—Joe Mathews, Mercury News, 2 Aug. 2025
That lag time has been criticized across Europe, with officials and experts asking why Trump is giving additional time to an autocrat who has hardly wavered in his desire to subjugate Ukraine.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 15 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for autocrat
Zac Anderson, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2025
As autocrats commonly do, Trump is seeking control over the national capital in order to intimidate and squelch dissent.
—Robert Weissman, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Aug. 2025
Make this a contest between fast new trains and an aging autocrat, and California wins.
—Joe Mathews, Mercury News, 2 Aug. 2025
That lag time has been criticized across Europe, with officials and experts asking why Trump is giving additional time to an autocrat who has hardly wavered in his desire to subjugate Ukraine.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 15 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for autocrat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for autocrat
Noun
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Writers and rulers across Europe and the Americas have looked back to Virgil’s epic as a model for their own founding myths, in the construction of new nations, new colonies, new empires.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Sep. 2025
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These include American Tanto, sheepfoot, serrated and saw blade options, as well as unconventional choices like a comb and can opener/ruler/wrench/seatbelt cutter single-piece multitool.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Though most monarchs live their entire lives in castles and palaces, the late queen was not born expecting to ascend to the throne.—
Elizabeth Stamp,
Architectural Digest,
3 Sep. 2025
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Queen Elizabeth, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, died in 2022 at age 96.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Autocrat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/autocrat. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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