autocracy
5 synonyms and 2 antonyms for autocracy, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A system of government in which one person holds complete power and is not meaningfully answerable to voters, courts or a parliament.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
How to use autocracy
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
slide into autocracy
modern autocracy
elected autocracy
autocracy and democracy
Formal, and almost always critical. The related words are autocrat for the ruler and autocratic for the style of rule.
Etymology
From Greek autokrateia 'absolute rule', from autos 'self' and kratos 'power, rule'.
Full origin of autocracy →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between autocracy and dictatorship?
Autocracy describes the structure: one person holds unchecked power, whether as a monarch, president or party leader. Dictatorship usually implies that this power was seized or is held by force, so every dictatorship is an autocracy but an inherited absolute monarchy is an autocracy without being a dictatorship.
What is the difference between autocracy and oligarchy?
An autocracy concentrates power in one individual, while an oligarchy places it in the hands of a small group such as military officers, wealthy families or party elites. In practice regimes often drift between the two.
