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Autos in Greek means "same" or "self", so in an autocratic government all the power is held by the leader him- or herself. Autocratic governments are often called dictatorships, or sometimes autocracies. In everyday life, a teacher, a parent, or a football coach can all behave like autocrats as well.
Synonyms
Examples of autocratic in a Sentence
democracy is supposed to protect the people against the rise of autocratic rulers
an autocratic Boy Scout leader who is under the delusion that he's still an army colonel
Recent Examples on the Web
And some worry that HTS could slide into it's own kind of autocratic regime.
—
NPR, 13 Dec. 2024
The declaration of a battle between democracy and autocracy came with exemptions for autocratic partners in places like Riyadh and New Delhi.
—Ben Rhodes, Foreign Affairs, 13 Dec. 2024
Assad was swept from power by a lightning-quick rebel offensive after a 13-year civil war and six decades of his family’s autocratic rule, and the opulent trappings of a regime that inflicted terror and poverty on Syria's people are now clear for all to see.
—Richard Engel, NBC News, 12 Dec. 2024
Last month, the autocratic Gulf state of Qatar handed out anti-corruption awards in partnership with the United Nations.
—Natalie Ecanow, National Review, 10 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for autocratic 
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NPR, 13 Dec. 2024
The declaration of a battle between democracy and autocracy came with exemptions for autocratic partners in places like Riyadh and New Delhi.
—Ben Rhodes, Foreign Affairs, 13 Dec. 2024
Assad was swept from power by a lightning-quick rebel offensive after a 13-year civil war and six decades of his family’s autocratic rule, and the opulent trappings of a regime that inflicted terror and poverty on Syria's people are now clear for all to see.
—Richard Engel, NBC News, 12 Dec. 2024
Last month, the autocratic Gulf state of Qatar handed out anti-corruption awards in partnership with the United Nations.
—Natalie Ecanow, National Review, 10 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for autocratic
Dictionary Entries Near autocratic
Cite this Entry
“Autocratic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/autocratic. Accessed 31 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
autocratic
adjective
au·to·crat·ic
ˌȯt-ə-ˈkrat-ik 
: of, relating to, or resembling autocracy or an autocrat
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