monarchy
noun
mon·ar·chy
ˈmä-nər-kē 
also -ˌnär-
plural monarchies
1
: undivided rule or absolute sovereignty by a single person
Saudi Arabia is governed by a monarchy.
2
: a nation or state having a monarchical government
Britain is a monarchy.
3
: a government having a hereditary chief of state with life tenure and powers varying from nominal to absolute
The country's hereditary monarchy survived for centuries.
Examples of monarchy in a Sentence
the French monarchy of the 18th century
Recent Examples on the Web
During the Benjamin Harrison presidency, from 1889 to 1893, a U.S. diplomat to the islands joined forces with a U.S. naval captain to force upon the royal family a new Hawaiian constitution (quickly labeled the Bayonet Constitution) that favored the islands’ white establishment over the monarchy.
—
Robert W. Merry, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 7 Mar. 2025
Yet the overriding goal of the framers at the Constitutional Convention was to avoid creating an American version of the British monarchy, with a single, unaccountable ruler in charge of national policymaking, free to implement his vision at will.
—Claire B. Wofford, The Conversation, 25 Feb. 2025
When Meghan Markle first started dating Prince Harry, the former American actress was often described as a breath of fresh air for the British monarchy.
—Stephanie Nolasco, Fox News, 25 Feb. 2025
The United States appears to have abandoned its support of Ukraine, as its top foreign-policy officials scramble to the monarchy of Saudi Arabia to cut deals with the Russian tsar; kings favor other kings.
—Bill McKibben, The New Yorker, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for monarchy
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Robert W. Merry, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 7 Mar. 2025
Yet the overriding goal of the framers at the Constitutional Convention was to avoid creating an American version of the British monarchy, with a single, unaccountable ruler in charge of national policymaking, free to implement his vision at will.
—Claire B. Wofford, The Conversation, 25 Feb. 2025
When Meghan Markle first started dating Prince Harry, the former American actress was often described as a breath of fresh air for the British monarchy.
—Stephanie Nolasco, Fox News, 25 Feb. 2025
The United States appears to have abandoned its support of Ukraine, as its top foreign-policy officials scramble to the monarchy of Saudi Arabia to cut deals with the Russian tsar; kings favor other kings.
—Bill McKibben, The New Yorker, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for monarchy
Articles Related to monarchy
Cite this Entry
“Monarchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monarchy. Accessed 18 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
monarchy
noun
mon·ar·chy
ˈmän-ər-kē
plural monarchies
1
: total rule by one person
2
: a nation or country ruled by a monarch
3
: a form of government having a chief of state who inherits the position, rules for life, and holds powers varying from very limited to total
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