variants
also autocratical
1
as in oppressive
exercising power or authority without interference by others
democracy is supposed to protect the people against the rise of autocratic rulers
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in authoritarian
fond of ordering people around
an autocratic Boy Scout leader who is under the delusion that he's still an army colonel
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of autocratic
The meeting in Beijing is the latest of several high-profile gatherings hosted by China in recent months, including a major summit of mostly autocratic leaders in August followed by a mammoth military parade days later.
—
Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 13 Oct. 2025
To One Piece fans, the flag symbolizes Luffy’s quest to chase his dreams, liberate oppressed people, and fight the autocratic World Government.
—Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2025
In fact, the choice Koreans faced at the end of 1948, between a one-party communist state and an autocratic liberalism, was between two options that had very little support at the beginning of the occupation.
—Kornel Chang
september 19, Literary Hub, 19 Sep. 2025
Petrostates—state actors dependent on fossil fuels for their sovereign wealth, who also veer towards autocratic rule to maintain tight control of their population—play an equally important role in the manufacturing and spread of antiscience propaganda.
—Michael E. Mann, Time, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for autocratic
Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 13 Oct. 2025
To One Piece fans, the flag symbolizes Luffy’s quest to chase his dreams, liberate oppressed people, and fight the autocratic World Government.
—Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2025
In fact, the choice Koreans faced at the end of 1948, between a one-party communist state and an autocratic liberalism, was between two options that had very little support at the beginning of the occupation.
—Kornel Chang
september 19, Literary Hub, 19 Sep. 2025
Petrostates—state actors dependent on fossil fuels for their sovereign wealth, who also veer towards autocratic rule to maintain tight control of their population—play an equally important role in the manufacturing and spread of antiscience propaganda.
—Michael E. Mann, Time, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for autocratic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for autocratic
Adjective
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After a summer of oppressive heat, October is when New York City hits its stride.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
18 Oct. 2025
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Raducanu had her blood pressure taken during the match, which was played in oppressive heat and humidity, before retiring down 6-1, 4-1.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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There’s a moving moment of magnanimity, which won’t be given away here, that proves the underlying dignity of a people broken by an authoritarian state.—
Baz Bamigboye,
Deadline,
24 Oct. 2025
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The plot of His Dark Materials is driven by the long-running conflict between Pullman’s heroine, a bold, lithely intelligent 11-year-old named Lyra, and the Magisterium, an authoritarian incarnation of Christianity.—
Lev Grossman,
The Atlantic,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Noone’s responses could be imperious and inconsistent, signalling readiness to help Steve’s investigation one moment and resistance the next.—
Eren Orbey,
New Yorker,
13 Oct. 2025
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Julian dispatches Ares and his deputy, Athena (an imperious Jodie Turner-Smith), to the physical world, ordering them to shake down Eve for information about Flynn’s code.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Especially right now, when most of whatever happens next would seem to be determined by arbitrary and despotic centers of earthly power.—
James Parker,
The Atlantic,
7 Oct. 2025
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The emergency has become the rule, transforming exceptional powers into the ordinary machinery of despotic governance.—
Beatriz Magaloni,
Foreign Affairs,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Three or four decades ago, the newspaperman was appealingly raffish—at once a bum who drank too much and a knight-errant who charged unafraid at social injustice, succored the weak, and crossed lances with the powerful and arrogant.—
David Wingrave,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
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Elsewhere, the details lifted from the book suffer in translation – Branagh’s Victor is appropriately arrogant but not adequately tortured; De Niro’s Monster is sensitive and intuitive, but drowns in the film’s hurried, hollow second half.—
Rory Doherty,
Vulture,
20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Players land on the planet Kairos, which is being ruled by a tyrannical dictator called the Timekeeper.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
13 Oct. 2025
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Scott's most recent projects include the 2024 sequel Gladiator II, which starred Paul Mescal as the son of Russell Crowe's Maximus, who squares off against tyrannical twin emperors.—
Jessica Wang,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Clients and partners need the dynamic, authoritative showman in the red shirt.—
Jason BARNARD,
Rolling Stone,
20 Oct. 2025
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Religion reporter Liam Adams has written extensively about denominations with Nashville ties, wrote authoritative news obituaries after the deaths of Focus on the Family founder James Dobson and Room In The Inn founder Father Charlie Strobel and has covered trends involving religion.—
Jennifer Brett,
Nashville Tennessean,
19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Trump is unconventional, but not dictatorial.—
Nicole Russell,
USA Today,
23 Oct. 2025
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The meeting was especially notable considering Putin’s long-standing backing of Al-Sharaa’s predecessor, Bashar al-Assad, whose dictatorial regime was ousted by rebel forces in December.—
Catherine Nicholls,
CNN Money,
15 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Autocratic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/autocratic. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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