Did you know?
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
Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 16 Oct. 2024
With its terrifyingly topical look into the complicated mind of an autocratic leader, tour de force performances by the two leads, striking cinematography and notable period production design, this is a gripping cinematic experience that should attract international art-house distributors.
—Alissa Simon, Variety, 9 Sep. 2024
In mainstream media, there is a lack of coverage about how Cubans living in Cuba feel, how the day-to-day life on the island happens and, most importantly, what are the family and emotional consequences for Cubans of having the same type of autocratic government for over six decades.
—Julie Hinds, Detroit Free Press, 9 Oct. 2024
His father, a judge, had been elected to parliament as a member of Atatürk’s Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi—the only party at the time—which oversaw the vast autocratic project of modernizing the new nation.
—Merve Emre, The New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for autocratic 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'autocratic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near autocratic
Cite this Entry
“Autocratic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/autocratic. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
autocratic
adjective
Share