autarky
Americannoun
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the condition of self-sufficiency, especially economic, as applied to a nation.
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a national policy of economic independence.
noun
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(esp of a political unit) a system or policy of economic self-sufficiency aimed at removing the need for imports
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an economically self-sufficient country
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of autarky
First recorded in 1610–20; from Greek autárkeia, “self-sufficiency,” equivalent to aut- aut- + arke-, stem of arkeîn “to be strong enough, suffice” + -ia -ia
Vocabulary lists containing autarky
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
That is autarky, and I have to say again, Economics 101.
From Slate ● Nov. 10, 2025
"Strategic autonomy doesn't mean autarky," Macron said after the speech at the embassy.
From Reuters ● Apr. 6, 2023
But she warns of the damaging spillover impacts on less-developed nations of attempts at autarky.
From BBC ● Dec. 7, 2022
Today’s technologies make nations, including Iran, porous to outside influences; intellectual autarky is impossible.
From Washington Post ● Jul. 29, 2015
Successive governments promoted autarky, the Hindi language and equidistance between the Western and Soviet blocs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 16, 2013
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
