Meaning & use
autocratic
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Meanings
adjectivecomparable
Ruling with total power and not allowing others to share in decisions.
Grammar: Can be used before a noun (an autocratic leader) or after a linking verb (The leader was autocratic). Comparative forms like 'more autocratic' are possible but less common.
Patterns
- autocratic leader
- autocratic government
- autocratic rule
The country was run by an autocratic government that suppressed all opposition.
She ruled the company in an autocratic way, making every decision herself.
The autocratic king refused to listen to his advisors.
adjectivecomparable
Behaving in a domineering way, expecting others to obey without question.
Grammar: Often describes a person's manner or style rather than a political system: an autocratic boss, an autocratic teacher.
Patterns
- autocratic boss
- autocratic manager
- autocratic style
His autocratic manner made it difficult for anyone to disagree with him.
The new manager was seen as autocratic and unwilling to listen to the team.
She had an autocratic approach to parenting, setting strict rules without discussion.
Word forms
| comparative | more autocratic |
|---|---|
| superlative | most autocratic |
Common combinations
- autocratic leader
- An autocratic leader rarely asks for advice from others.
- autocratic government
- The autocratic government banned all political parties.
- autocratic rule
- The country suffered under autocratic rule for decades.
- autocratic style
- His autocratic style of management alienated many employees.
Synonyms and how they differ
- dictatorial
- Dictatorial is stronger and often suggests harsh, oppressive control; autocratic can be used for a bossy personal style without implying cruelty.
- despotic
- Despotic emphasizes cruel and unjust use of power; autocratic focuses on having absolute power without necessarily being cruel.
- authoritarian
- Authoritarian means demanding strict obedience and limiting freedom; it is often used for political systems and is very close to autocratic, but can also describe attitudes rather than a single ruler.
- bossy
- Bossy is informal and used for someone who tells others what to do in an annoying way; autocratic is more formal and suggests real power.
Opposites
Word family
- autocrat noun
- A ruler or person with absolute power.
- autocracy noun
- A system of government in which one person has total power.
- autocratically adverb
- In an autocratic manner.
Commonly confused: autocratic or automatic? autocratic or aristocratic?
autocratic vs automatic
Automatic means working by itself without human control; autocratic means ruling with total power. They sound similar but have completely different meanings.
autocratic vs aristocratic
Aristocratic relates to the nobility or upper class; autocratic relates to absolute power. The prefixes are different: 'auto-' (self) vs 'aristo-' (best).
Practice
The CEO was criticized for her ______ management style, as she never consulted her team before making decisions.
Choose one answer.
The sentence describes a manager who makes decisions alone without consulting others, so 'autocratic' fits. 'Democratic' means involving others, 'automatic' means working by itself, and 'aristocratic' relates to social class.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “autocratic”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.