Definition of autocratnext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 autocrat Marcos Pérez Jiménez, the autocrat who ruled the country in the mid-twentieth century, commissioned modern architectural projects to project an image of the country as, if not progressive, at the very least progressing. Armando Ledezma, New Yorker, 30 June 2026 Conquerors and autocrats may win the immediate battle by bullying their subjects into submission, but their empires inevitably crumble the moment their iron grip falters. Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 24 June 2026 Trump might soon gain another ideological bedfellow in Peru with the election of Keiko Fujimori, the daughter of late autocrat Alberto Fujimori. Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2026 Trump has made clear his disdain for NATO, his affection for Putin, gushes over autocrats, and withholds military support for Ukraine. Arthur House, Hartford Courant, 15 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for autocrat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for autocrat
Noun
  • If Pisces was rising on the horizon at your time of birth, your money sector is ruled by go-getter Mars, celestial ruler of the bold and fearless sign of Aries.
    Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Following the death of the Maratha ruler Bajirao I in 1740, Balaji Bajirao (popularly called Nana Saheb) inherited a polity that had already established its influence in Malwa and Gujarat.
    Tamanna Nangia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • After the late monarch stopped wearing the tiara, it was loaned to Diana in 1981 as a wedding present.
    Francesca Gariano, PEOPLE, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Events plod forward, one after the other, and although Michael Shaeffer is a thoroughly compelling presence as the cruel and chronically unstable monarch Aerys, other performances seem nuance-free.
    Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 10 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Autocrat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/autocrat. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on autocrat

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster