autocracy
Autocracy (noun) means a system of government in which one person holds complete power and is not meaningfully answerable to voters, courts or a parliament. Example: “The republic slid into autocracy within a decade of the coup.”
How to use autocracy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishRule by one person who answers to no one.
Formal, and almost always critical. The related words are autocrat for the ruler and autocratic for the style of rule.
Do not confuse autocracy with aristocracy, which is rule by a hereditary noble class rather than by a single person.
Trace the full origin ↓Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The republic slid into _____ within a decade of the coup.
Etymology
From Greek autokrateia 'absolute rule', from autos 'self' and kratos 'power, rule'.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for autocracy
See all rhymes for 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.
What is the meaning of autocracy?
"autocracy" (noun) means a system of government in which one person holds complete power and is not meaningfully answerable to voters, courts or a parliament.
What is another word for autocracy?
Other words for "autocracy" include dictatorship, despotism, absolutism, tyranny.