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
Relevance
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
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
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
Against this backdrop, IIFMA urged the academy to reconsider its policies regarding film submissions from countries under autocratic rule, suggesting the creation of a special committee for dissident filmmakers.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for autocratic
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
Against this backdrop, IIFMA urged the academy to reconsider its policies regarding film submissions from countries under autocratic rule, suggesting the creation of a special committee for dissident filmmakers.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for autocratic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for autocratic
Adjective
-
Amid the town’s oppressive atmosphere, Elma’s colleague Saevar could provide salvation.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
10 Oct. 2025
-
In eastern Rajasthan’s poppy fields, an activist son and a farmer mother work to free themselves from oppressive circumstances.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Jorgen Watne Frydens, the Nobel Committee chair, spoke broadly about the advance of authoritarian regimes in the world and retreat of democracy in the announcement.—
Jon Haworth,
ABC News,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who turned 58 this week, has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her unwavering efforts to promote democratic rights in a country plagued by authoritarian rule.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The penalty was lashed and ludicrous, the timing important with Newcastle leading 1-0 but hardly imperious.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
-
The adolescent protagonist soon finds himself at the mercy of his imperious uncle, who puts his nephew out on the street for missing a midnight curfew, of which poor Karl was quite unaware.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
The emergency has become the rule, transforming exceptional powers into the ordinary machinery of despotic governance.—
Beatriz Magaloni,
Foreign Affairs,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Jackson returns as Wes Bryant, a handsome, intelligent, but arrogant man who had just moved to Seattle and was revealed to be a new medical intern at Grey Sloan.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Jack Cutmore-Scott as Julius Beaufort, an arrogant new money banker at the center of New York society with an interest in Ellen.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
Fox reclaims the notorious lady-in-waiting from centuries of scandal, revealing a sharp-witted, politically savvy woman caught in the tyrannical court of Henry VIII.—
Phillipa Gregory,
PEOPLE,
4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
While Efraimoglou is bold and authoritative, Vandorou is quiet and reflective.—
Janine Di Giovanni,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Oct. 2025
-
The Red List, produced by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), is the most authoritative global assessment of extinction risk of species.—
Nell Lewis,
CNN Money,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The film tells the story of political prisoner Luis Molina (Tonatiuh), a man imprisoned for his homosexuality under a dictatorial regime in 1980s Argentina.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Oct. 2025
-
There is a seeming logic behind Trump’s decision to turn away from democratic states and toward dictatorial ones: a desire to establish three spheres of influence that encompass most of the world.—
Phillips P. O’Brien,
Foreign Affairs,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Autocratic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/autocratic. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share