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monocratic

monocratic

9.9
A government led by one person with all the power
  • adjective
  • /ˌmɒnəˈkrætɪk/
  • Formal
translation icon : monocrático
  • Under the monocratic regime, all major decisions were made by the single ruler without any consultation.

Examples

  • The country's monocratic leadership made it difficult for citizens to express their opinions freely.

  • The monocratic style of governance allowed the leader to implement policies quickly but resulted in public unrest.

  • A key transitional issue is the change from the hitherto monocratic and colonial system to a more democratic one with a localized public service.

    Academic text (1991)

Synonyms

tyrannical
vsmonocratic
25 7.9

Using power to treat people cruelly and unfairly

is about single-person absolute authority, not only cruelty or injustice
dictatorial
vsmonocratic
16 7.7

Having complete control and expecting people to obey without question

is the structural idea of single absolute rule, not only behavior
autocratic
vsmonocratic
14 8.0

A leader who has complete power and does not allow others to disagree

is about one person's absolute rule rather than personal style
despotic
vsmonocratic
8 8.4

A ruler who uses cruel and total power over people

is the basic notion of one person holding complete authority
monarchical
vsmonocratic
2 8.2

Relating to a country ruled by a king or queen

is strictly about a single person's absolute rule rather than general royal system
tyrannous
vsmonocratic
  • Formal
1 9.9

Using unfair, cruel power to control people

is the broader concept of one person's absolute rule, not only severity
monarchic
vsmonocratic
1 7.9

A government in which a king or queen rules

is specifically rule by one person with absolute authority rather than system label
absolutistic
vsmonocratic
9.9

Supporting total power for one person or group without limits

is the actual single-person absolute rule rather than an ideology
despotical
vsmonocratic
  • Archaic
9.9

A leader who has harsh, total power and treats people unfairly

focuses on sole absolute power rather than the ruler's cruel manner

Antonyms

649 3.0

Relating to a system where people vote and have equal rights

Compounds

A system where one person has almost all power and makes decisions alone

How Authoritarian

autocratic
14 8.0
monocratic
  • Formal
9.9
oligarchic
2 9.2

Surface Forms

monocratic positive

Morphology

monocratic = monocrat (semi-transparent) = mono + crat + ic

The adjective is formed regularly from the noun 'monocrat' with '-ic', so the relation is structurally clear once the base word is known.

Etymology

Monocratic comes from the Greek parts mono- meaning 'single' and -cratic from kratos meaning 'power' or 'rule', and you can see mono- in monarchy and -cratic in democratic. So a monocratic government is rule by one person who has all the power.