as in rulers
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
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Recent Examples of autocrats
Even as long-reigning autocrats such as Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei are removed from power, the outlook for the global state of democracy remains highly uncertain.
—
Yana Gorokhovskaia, Washington Post, 19 Mar. 2026
Trump’s attacks may have raised some doubts in China that Xi’s backing of autocrats is wise.
—Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
These autocrats have watched and learned as Erdoğan has scapegoated various rival groups in his country, branding them shadowy forces unleashed by the American philanthropist George Soros.
—Kaya Genç, The Dial, 3 Feb. 2026
The book examines the worst acts of autocrats and tyrannical leaders dating back centuries.
—Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 27 Jan. 2026
The central question is whether the rise of autocrats is reversible.
—Max Hastings, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2026
The strategic logic mirrors survival patterns of past regional autocrats.
—Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 7 Jan. 2026
One of the biggest changes in the past three decades is the rise of the support network that autocrats and would-be autocrats now enjoy.
—Nic Cheeseman, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
His latest book, Slow Poison, focuses on the making of the Ugandan state post British colonialism and the two autocrats that largely shaped it.
—Leila Fadel, NPR, 16 Dec. 2025
Yana Gorokhovskaia, Washington Post, 19 Mar. 2026
Trump’s attacks may have raised some doubts in China that Xi’s backing of autocrats is wise.
—Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
These autocrats have watched and learned as Erdoğan has scapegoated various rival groups in his country, branding them shadowy forces unleashed by the American philanthropist George Soros.
—Kaya Genç, The Dial, 3 Feb. 2026
The book examines the worst acts of autocrats and tyrannical leaders dating back centuries.
—Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 27 Jan. 2026
The central question is whether the rise of autocrats is reversible.
—Max Hastings, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2026
The strategic logic mirrors survival patterns of past regional autocrats.
—Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 7 Jan. 2026
One of the biggest changes in the past three decades is the rise of the support network that autocrats and would-be autocrats now enjoy.
—Nic Cheeseman, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
His latest book, Slow Poison, focuses on the making of the Ugandan state post British colonialism and the two autocrats that largely shaped it.
—Leila Fadel, NPR, 16 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for autocrats
Noun
-
The forts, palaces, gardens, mosques, mausoleums, and even cities that Mughal rulers commissioned reflect their ambition and affluence as much as their tastes and sensibilities.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
15 Apr. 2026
-
An ancient Turkish name, Aslan was also used as a title for medieval Turkic rulers.—
Lydia Wang,
Parents,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Hungary’s first king, Stephen I, built a basilica in Székesfehérvár that served as the coronation site for later monarchs.—
Isaac Stanley-Becker,
The Atlantic,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Later this month, British monarchs will step onto American shores for the first time in two decades.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Autocrats.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/autocrats. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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