Autocratic is an adjective describing a form of leadership or governance in which one person holds all power and makes decisions without input from others. It often implies strict control, limited personal freedom, and centralized authority. The term emphasizes dictatorial rule and unilateral decision-making rather than collaborative processes.
"The authoritarian regime was criticized for its autocratic leadership and lack of democratic accountability."
"Her autocratic management style left little room for staff input or creative experimentation."
"Despite promises of reform, the committee remained under autocratic control for years."
"The coach’s autocratic approach quickly alienated players who preferred collaboration on strategy."
Autocratic derives from the Greek prefix auto- meaning self, and -kratos from kratein meaning to rule or power, originally forming a term for self-rule. The word entered English in the late 18th to early 19th century as part of political vocabulary influenced by Greek and Latin roots in classical scholarship. The stem -crat- is a common root in political terms such as aristocrat and democrat, indicating power or rule. Autocracy itself has long-standing usage in political science to describe governance where one individual holds supreme authority. Over time, autocratic has broadened to describe not only governments but any situation where a single leader imposes decisions with little or no consultation, extending into organizational management and leadership rhetoric. The sense shift from a formal political system to characterizing a leadership style in various domains has occurred as institutions increasingly discuss power dynamics and delegation. The first known English uses align with discussions of regimes and governance in political treatises and histories, with early 19th-century authors applying autocratic to personal leadership in monarchies and military contexts, evolving into the more generalized adjective we use today.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Autocratic" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Autocratic"
-me) sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce as au-TA-CRAT-ic with primary stress on the third syllable: /ˌɔː.təˈkræt.ɪk/ in US and UK representations. In many contexts you’ll hear the stress land on the second or third syllable depending on token emphasis: au-TA-CRAT-ic is common in careful speech. For clarity: /ˌɔːˈtɒk.ræt.ɪk/ in UK, /ˌɔː.təˈkræt.ɪk/ in US. Practice saying the “crat” syllable clearly with a short, crisp /kr/ blend and a strong æ-like vowel in the stressed syllable. Audio reference: listen to authoritative dictionaries and YouTube pronunciation guides for subtle vowel length and stress cues.
Two common errors: (1) Misplacing the stress, saying au-TOPRATIC or au-toca-; (2) Slurring the -crat- into a weak /kræt/ as /kriːt/ or /krɪt/. Correction: keep the primary stress on the third syllable (TA-CRAT-ic) and enunciate /kræt/ with a crisp /k/ release and a short æ in the stressed syllable. Ensure the initial /ɔː/ is rounded and not reduced; practice by isolating the /ɔː/ and then linking with /tə/.
US, UK, and AU share /ˌɔː.təˈkræt.ɪk/ with slight vowel differences: US often uses a slightly longer /ɔː/ and a faster rhythm; UK keeps a crisper /ˈkræt/ and may reduce the second syllable slightly in rapid speech; AU tends to be flatter vowels with less rhoticity, so /ɔː/ may sound closer to /ɒː/ in some regions, and /kræt/ remains prominent. Regardless, the stress pattern remains a three-syllable word with primary stress on the third syllable-core. IPA anchors: US /ˌɔː.təˈkræt.ɪk/, UK /ˌɔː.təˈkræt.ɪk/, AU /ˌɔː.təˈkræt.ɪk/ with regional vowel variation.
Because of consecutive consonants /t/ and /kr/ and a mid-back vowel /ɔː/ followed by a stressed /kræt/ cluster. The sequence /təˈkræt/ requires precise timing: avoid inserting extra vowels and keep the /t/ release tight. The /æ/ before the final stressed syllable must be distinct. Practicing minimal pairs and slow-speech drills helps stabilize the tongue position for the crat cluster and prevents vowel reduction in the stressed syllable.
Unique aspect: the prefix auto- often prompts listeners to expect a simpler rhythm; you must resist a bootstrap effect and maintain three clear syllables with stress on the third. The word’s lexical stress pattern is a trochaic-then-stressed pattern in many enunciations: au-TA-CRAT-ic. Ensure a deliberate /t/ release after the second syllable and keep the /æ/ crisp in the /kræt/ nucleus. This combination helps distinguish autocratic from closely related words like autocracy or autocrat (noun).
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