autocratic

adjective

ˌȯ-tə-ˈkra-tik How to pronounce autocratic (audio)
variants also autocratical
Definition of autocraticnext
1
as in authoritarian
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 domineering
fond of ordering people around an autocratic Boy Scout leader who is under the delusion that he's still an army colonel

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 autocratic Lampooning authority is even common in autocratic societies where governments spend large sums of money suppressing speech. — Christopher Von Rueden, The Conversation, 3 Oct. 2026 To date, the most serious challenge to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s increasingly autocratic tenure came from Ekrem İmamoğlu, the popular mayor of Istanbul. — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2026 Bukele, the autocratic leader of El Salvador, anticipated the revolution. — Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2026 At a Sunday rally in Georgia, Ossoff needled Trump for accepting a new Air Force One plane from the autocratic monarchy of Qatar and for reportedly hiding in a catering truck to switch to a different plane in Turkey last month. — Joseph Konig, PEOPLE, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for autocratic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for autocratic
  1. authoritarian
  2. domineering
  3. oppressive
  4. arrogant
  5. arbitrary
  6. despotic
  7. tyrannical
  8. dictatorial
Adjective
  • The case centers on the Cuban government shooting down two Brothers to the Rescue flights, a civilian rescue group dedicated to saving refugees fleeing the authoritarian Castro regime — then run by Raul Castro’s older brother Fidel.
    — Liv Caputo Herald, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The former authoritarian president is eyeing a return as prime minister after the Sunday vote.
    — Teresa Medrano, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of authoritarian
Adjective
  • Sources said Gunning plays Annie, a quietly dutiful wife who has sacrificed her ambitions to raise four sons under her domineering husband, Duncan.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Fern proves himself as a true actor’s director, offering plum roles to Paulson, Watts and two-time Oscar winner Dianne Wiest as their chaotic and domineering mother.
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of domineering
Adjective
  • Thomas shocks Vision back to life, but this somehow alerts Butcherbird; Vision’s mindscape fills with oppressive red lighting, ominously circling birds, and TVs crackling with static.
    — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The tropical sun was oppressive, but company representatives were prepared with orange parasols, each with a dedicated barcode.
    — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of oppressive
Adjective
  • Ever-sensible Elinor, who never asks for much, has already met, and fallen for, Edward Ferrars (George MacKay), Fanny’s brother, as kind and modest as Fanny is arrogant.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Hal and Kate, having misread Trowbridge’s shock and dismay at the tragic death of Austin Dennison as a worse-than-usual bit of arrogant posturing, switch to Bad Cop mode.
    — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of arrogant
Adjective
  • The 2-1 decision rejected Anthropic's argument that the Department of Defense's ban on its Claude models was arbitrary, unauthorized and unconstitutional.
    — Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026
  • But labor campaigners said in the statement that their wage demand wasn’t arbitrary.
    — Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of arbitrary
Adjective
  • Any transgression of new standards of speech and behavior could put someone at risk of social banishment, in the truly despotic shape of cancellation.
    — Charles Finch, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The comedy of errors that follows as Ina attempts to solve the nation’s problems, from traffic congestion to energy crisis, doubles as a critique of the despotic regime and the tumult of living in such hellish times.
    — Lé Baltar, IndieWire, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of despotic
Adjective
  • Putting your face on the passport, like forcing your name onto another President’s memorial, is a symptom of tyrannical egotism, exactly opposite to the republican premise.
    — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Like Lorca’s title monster, this Alba is a towering tyrannical figure.
    — Bill Hirschman, Sun Sentinel, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of tyrannical
Adjective
  • Polly, who has choreographed the family’s public image with the dictatorial control of a George Balanchine, isn’t pleased to learn that her daughter has laid the fault of her brother’s tragedy on her parents’ right-wing politics.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Standing before her guards, the increasingly dictatorial ruler proclaims herself as the Chosen One to the people of King's Landing.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of dictatorial

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Cite this Entry

“Autocratic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/autocratic. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

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