variants
also autocratical
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
Relevance
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
Equatorial Guinea has long been ruled by Africa’s longest-serving president, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who has been in power since 1982 and has been accused of running an autocratic regime.
—
ABC News, 16 Mar. 2026
Those thousands of Iranians who poured out on the streets of Tehran were supposed to be calling for the toppling of the autocratic Islamist regime.
—Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 14 Mar. 2026
The president cheered brokering a fragile ceasefire deal in Gaza and his team’s bringing home hostages taken by Hamas militants, capturing autocratic leader Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela and pressing fellow NATO members to increase defense spending among his biggest wins.
—Aamer Madhani, Chicago Tribune, 25 Feb. 2026
With the Republican Congress fawning at his feet, the ideal of democracy that the will of the people governs the nation is being buried under multimedia waves of the autocratic ambition of wealth.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 21 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for autocratic
ABC News, 16 Mar. 2026
Those thousands of Iranians who poured out on the streets of Tehran were supposed to be calling for the toppling of the autocratic Islamist regime.
—Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 14 Mar. 2026
The president cheered brokering a fragile ceasefire deal in Gaza and his team’s bringing home hostages taken by Hamas militants, capturing autocratic leader Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela and pressing fellow NATO members to increase defense spending among his biggest wins.
—Aamer Madhani, Chicago Tribune, 25 Feb. 2026
With the Republican Congress fawning at his feet, the ideal of democracy that the will of the people governs the nation is being buried under multimedia waves of the autocratic ambition of wealth.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 21 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for autocratic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for autocratic
Adjective
-
Founded by George Soros after the fall of communism, the university says the authoritarian government of Viktor Orbán forced 90% of its teaching operations out of the country in 2019, leaving behind a stark symbol of how far the nation has moved during the prime minister’s 16-year regime.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Reminiscent of authoritarian regimes, experts say What's branding in business is problematic in governance.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In the new version, the dramatic tension comes from the singer’s relationship with his domineering father, Joe Jackson, who doesn’t want his son’s solo career to come at the expense of the Jackson 5, the Motown group that put the family on the map.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Rethinking the Chávez myth True reappraisals of Chávez and his work wouldn’t start until after former Times editor and reporter Miriam Pawel published a 2006 series for this paper that showed the ugly, domineering side of Chávez and the UFW’s decline.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Refusing to abide by aspects of the oppressive and budget-busting Blueprint for Maryland’s Future is as good a place to start as any.—
Chris Roemer,
Baltimore Sun,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The third was to free the Iranian people from a brutally oppressive government and move the country toward democratic representation reflecting the aspirations and talents of its 90 million people.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
As the sun and Jupiter clash, you’re cosmically protected, but arrogant behavior won’t get a pass.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
5 Apr. 2026
-
For Iran, what counts is resistance, against arrogant and wicked oppressors, chiefly the United States and Israel.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The Bulls don’t want Buzelis to get caught up in hitting an arbitrary number on the scale.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The advisory does not specify uniform procedures at the border but warns travelers that electronic data may be accessed and that enforcement can be arbitrary.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The monarchist movement has not governed Iran since 1979, and its corrupt, despotic leader was overthrown in the revolution.—
Farah N. Jan,
The Conversation,
10 Mar. 2026
-
My ability to complete Ballot during a genocide and despotic takeover hinged on confronting these uncomfortable truths.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
As someone who dealt with overzealous RAs, thank you for shining a light on their tyrannical ways.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The Trueba family’s passions, struggles, and secrets span a century of violent social change, culminating in a crisis that hurls the proud, tyrannical patriarch and his beloved granddaughter towards opposite sides of the fence.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The upper ranks of the dictatorial regime’s leadership have been decimated.—
Kazem Kazerounian,
Hartford Courant,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Aggressive, a bit dictatorial’.—
Andy Mitten,
New York Times,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Autocratic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/autocratic. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
