autocracy

noun

au·​toc·​ra·​cy ȯ-ˈtä-krə-sē How to pronounce autocracy (audio)
plural autocracies
1
: the authority or rule of an autocrat
2
: government in which one person possesses unlimited power
3
: a community or state governed by autocracy

Examples of autocracy in a Sentence

the Magna Carta is historically important because it signified the British rejection of autocracy and constituted the first formal restraining of the power of the monarch
Recent Examples on the Web But Putin’s return to the presidency in 2012 marked the beginning of a swift, brutal, and irrevocable shift toward autocracy. Andrei Kolesnikov, Foreign Affairs, 7 Mar. 2024 In any other walk of life–politics, government, literature, art–the idea of yielding to autocracy would be impossible to even consider. Rona Berg, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 The series feels leery of engaging with the ugly, xenophobic aspects of modern autocracy. James Poniewozik, New York Times, 29 Feb. 2024 Her essays on art and literature under autocracy have been models of how to ask questions about aesthetics and politics, form and power, with tremendous precision. Merve Emre, The New York Review of Books, 13 Feb. 2024 The hollowing out of democratic institutions pushes India closer and closer to becoming a democracy only in name and an electoral autocracy in practice. Ramachandra Guha, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024 The candidates are framing the race in increasingly existential terms: for William Lai of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), the choice facing voters is between democracy and autocracy. David Sacks, Foreign Affairs, 10 Jan. 2024 What alarms the United States and its allies is autocracy in Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova, which might lead to democratic backsliding in Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Romania, and the Baltic states. Christian Schneider, National Review, 21 Dec. 2023 Dictators fear their own people, making autocracies far more brittle than is commonly understood. Daniel Twining, National Review, 23 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'autocracy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

earlier, "self-control," borrowed from Greek autokrateîa "self-control, power over oneself," from autokratḗs "ruling by itself (of a mind), with sole authority (for a task)" + -ia -y entry 2 — more at autocrat

Note: The word acquired the present meaning under the influence of Latin autocratōr (from about the fifth century on) and Greek autokrátōr, meaning "with sole authority," and later by association with autocrat. See note at autocrat.

First Known Use

1659, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of autocracy was in 1659

Dictionary Entries Near autocracy

Cite this Entry

“Autocracy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/autocracy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

autocracy

noun
au·​toc·​ra·​cy ȯ-ˈtäk-rə-sē How to pronounce autocracy (audio)
plural autocracies
: government in which one person has unlimited power

More from Merriam-Webster on autocracy

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