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
Conquerors and autocrats may win the immediate battle by bullying their subjects into submission, but their empires inevitably crumble the moment their iron grip falters.
—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
24 June 2026
Trump has made clear his disdain for NATO, his affection for Putin, gushes over autocrats, and withholds military support for Ukraine.
—
Arthur House,
Hartford Courant,
15 June 2026
Almost overnight, countries that had long outsourced their energy security to autocrats found their supplies cut, and their economies shaken.
—
Jennifer Granholm,
semafor.com,
30 Apr. 2026
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
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
24 June 2026
Trump has made clear his disdain for NATO, his affection for Putin, gushes over autocrats, and withholds military support for Ukraine.
—
Arthur House,
Hartford Courant,
15 June 2026
Almost overnight, countries that had long outsourced their energy security to autocrats found their supplies cut, and their economies shaken.
—
Jennifer Granholm,
semafor.com,
30 Apr. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for autocrats
Noun
-
Since overthrowing the Assad dynasty, Syria’s new rulers have struggled to exert control across the country and to check extremist groups.
-
For 28 years and counting, Venezuela’s rulers have stolen or squandered much of the oil revenue of the most oil-rich country in the world.
Noun
-
And in a place where celebrity passersby and visiting monarchs typically get the same collective shrug, a certain exuberance appeared.
-
Virginia may have established a representative body, the House of Burgesses, in 1619, but the mid-century Cavalier elite continued to accept the divine right of kings as the Stuart monarchs had propounded it.
Cite this Entry
“Autocrats.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/autocrats. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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