1
as in monarchism
a system of government in which there is only one ruler whose power is unlimited
Under a monarchy, the position of ruler is often passed down from parent to child.
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in democracy
a group of people who live in a territory ruled by a single person
The country was formerly a monarchy, but has now transitioned to a republic.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of monarchy
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for monarchy
Noun
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But a slave mentality remains deeply ingrained in Russian minds, along with a latent monarchism and paternalism.—
Nikita Petrov,
Foreign Affairs,
12 Dec. 2017
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But for anyone outside the British elite, the constitutional monarchism that emerged after the civil wars did not look much like democracy or true liberty.—
Andrew Cockburn,
Harper's Magazine,
20 Aug. 2024
Noun
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Separately on Friday, Canada's government announced sanctions against eight senior officials in Venezuela's government, citing human rights violations and undermining democracy.—
Vivian Sequera,
USA TODAY,
22 Mar. 2025
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These guardrails have allowed America to birth the strongest democracy in the world.—
Gary Franks,
Hartford Courant,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Undermining our judicial branch’s authority is a direct threat to the core of our republic — three co-equal branches of government working in tandem to preserve American’s life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.—
The Denver Post Editorial Board,
The Denver Post,
19 Mar. 2025
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In the 1990s, for instance, Russian President Boris Yeltsin used economic coercion to secure concessions from Central Asian and Caucasian republics that wanted to retain close links to Moscow.—
Nicholas Mulder,
Foreign Affairs,
6 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The digital age thrives on collaboration, not dictatorship.—
Nono Bokete,
Forbes.com,
27 Mar. 2025
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The film makes more than a token effort to explore the material and psychological realities of life under fascist rule, and the transformation of a charming agrarian utopia into an austere military dictatorship.—
Justin Chang,
The New Yorker,
22 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The sovereign is known to reach for watercolors and has brought his paint set along for royal tours all over the world through the years.—
Janine Henni,
People.com,
20 Feb. 2025
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Kerl will be in Sydney on Tuesday to try to meet the 75-year-old British sovereign again during his first tour to a Commonwealth realm since acceding the throne.—
Hilary Whiteman,
CNN,
18 Oct. 2024
Noun
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These included newspapers from the northern kingdom, and royal almanacs that the king had kept.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
20 Mar. 2025
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Critics pointed to his role in the dissolution of the monasteries, an initiative of the English Reformation that saw most of the kingdom’s abbeys and priories shut down, their art and relics destroyed and their wealth diverted to fill the king’s coffers.—
Meilan Solly,
Smithsonian Magazine,
20 Mar. 2025
Noun
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If Spanberger or Earle-Sears wins the general, the commonwealth would have its first female governor.—
Savannah Kuchar,
USA Today,
30 Mar. 2025
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While the Caribbean commonwealth of Puerto Rico is renowned for its pristine beaches, there’s a wealth of natural wonders to explore in the island’s interior as well.—
Jared Ranahan,
Forbes,
25 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Speaking to reporters from the Rose Garden, Trump argued that for too long, American citizens have been sidelined while other nations profited at the country's expense.—
Khaleda Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Apr. 2025
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But Trump’s new reciprocal tariffs on other Asian nations announced Wednesday will hurt China, too: Vietnam will face tariffs of 46% and Cambodian goods will be tariffed at 49%.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
2 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Monarchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/monarchy. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.
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