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
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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
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Recent Examples of autocratic
Most Third World states, for example, that were born as democracies lapsed into dictatorships or became autocratic shortly after independence.
—
Ashley J. Tellis, Foreign Affairs, 17 June 2025
This is also a real turn in terms of the completely autocratic way in which Department of Homeland Security staff responded to the incident.
—Charlie Hunt, The Conversation, 13 June 2025
Congress must impeach Trump to protect us President Donald Trump sending the National Guard into Los Angeles is his step forward to use the U.S. military to quell legal protests here in the U.S. and, in my opinion, to seize autocratic power.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 June 2025
Charles Franklin Seabrook, my grandfather, was the principal dreamer, main promoter, political fixer, master builder, and autocratic ruler of this industrial farming empire—and ultimately its destroyer.
—John Seabrook
june 11, Literary Hub, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for autocratic
Ashley J. Tellis, Foreign Affairs, 17 June 2025
This is also a real turn in terms of the completely autocratic way in which Department of Homeland Security staff responded to the incident.
—Charlie Hunt, The Conversation, 13 June 2025
Congress must impeach Trump to protect us President Donald Trump sending the National Guard into Los Angeles is his step forward to use the U.S. military to quell legal protests here in the U.S. and, in my opinion, to seize autocratic power.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 June 2025
Charles Franklin Seabrook, my grandfather, was the principal dreamer, main promoter, political fixer, master builder, and autocratic ruler of this industrial farming empire—and ultimately its destroyer.
—John Seabrook
june 11, Literary Hub, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for autocratic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for autocratic
Adjective
-
Since seizing control of Afghanistan in August 2021, the group has implemented a string of oppressive measures against women and girls, even cracking down on the sound of women’s voices in public.—
Catherine Nicholls,
CNN Money,
8 July 2025
-
Others reject the portrayal of federal actions as oppressive, suggesting deployments like those in Los Angeles prioritize national security and immigration enforcement.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 July 2025
Adjective
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Whether Trump's death quelled or accelerated authoritarian forces remains an open question.—
Theo Burman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 July 2025
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All of these factors and their contribution to alienation can foster authoritarian beliefs and individualism.—
Nathan Meyers,
The Conversation,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
The disconnect comes through most strongly in the subplots involving supporting characters, like the flirtations between Jess’ various marketing co-workers (which include her imperious boss, played by Richard E. Grant).—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
10 July 2025
-
But his life takes a turn for the absurd with the arrival of a beautiful Frenchwoman, Valérie, with an imperious chihuahua, just as another guest goes missing.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
25 June 2025
Adjective
-
Napoleon, the pig who takes despotic control of the farm following the revolution — voiced with haughty gusto by Seth Rogen — bears an uncanny resemblance to the current occupant of the White House.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
11 June 2025
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Bernal as a despotic and at times deluded Magellan persuades the Spanish Crown to fund his bold 16th century expedition to the fabled lands of the East, only to unleash a decade of devastation wreaked by European conquistadors in the Pacific as part of colonial conquests.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
3 June 2025
Adjective
-
In 2022, Ackles joined the cast of Prime Video's The Boys as arrogant superhero Soldier Boy.—
Brianne Tracy,
People.com,
4 July 2025
-
Her larger-than-life ego and past as a shaman make Player 044 come off as arrogant and selfish, getting under just about everyone's skin.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
4 July 2025
Adjective
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However, some new reevaluations of primary source documents and ethnobotanical fieldwork now suggests there was more to the madman than tyrannical bloodlust.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
10 July 2025
-
Separated by accident from his colony, Remy ends up hiding out at Gusteau’s old restaurant, now owned by the tyrannical, rat-hating chef Skinner.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 July 2025
Adjective
-
The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.—
Steve Inskeep,
NPR,
14 July 2025
-
There’s an authoritative front grille and bumper, and revised rear tail lights.—
Josh Max,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
The Big Beautiful Bill is supposed to revitalize our economy, but the president who asked for it is destroying that economy with his erratic, uninformed and ill-judged dictatorial outbursts.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
13 July 2025
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In 2023's The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, the first Hunger Games prequel story, Tom Blyth portrayed a younger version of President Snow, depicted as a Hunger Games mentor who begins rising toward his eventual dictatorial role within Collins' fictional Panem. 28 Years Later is in theaters now.—
Tommy McArdle,
People.com,
21 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Autocratic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/autocratic. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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