1
as in clique
a small group of people who exercise control over a country, business, etc.
Critics complain that the government is now dominated by an oligarchy of wealthy businesspeople.
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in empire
government that is controlled by a small group of people
The nation was an oligarchy with election results manipulated to maintain a permanent ruling class.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of oligarchy
Over time, a Democratic Party will need a three-pronged counter-attack to reverse Trumpers’ unprecedented blitzkrieg to the worst of two worlds — oligarchy and fascism.
—
Mark Green, New York Daily News, 20 Apr. 2025
The oligarchy is almost as incompetent and out of touch as is Trump.
—Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 17 Apr. 2025
For the tech oligarchy, the business leaders, the rank-and-file Republicans, the tariffs were the ultimate loyalty test.
—Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025
The American people do not want oligarchy, authoritarianism or attacks on Social Security, Medicaid or the VA.
—Mohammed Soliman, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oligarchy
Mark Green, New York Daily News, 20 Apr. 2025
The oligarchy is almost as incompetent and out of touch as is Trump.
—Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 17 Apr. 2025
For the tech oligarchy, the business leaders, the rank-and-file Republicans, the tariffs were the ultimate loyalty test.
—Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025
The American people do not want oligarchy, authoritarianism or attacks on Social Security, Medicaid or the VA.
—Mohammed Soliman, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oligarchy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oligarchy
Noun
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The department has been haunted for years by allegations about violent, tattooed cliques, whose bad behavior has cost the county millions of dollars in legal settlements.—
Keri Blakinger,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2025
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But while Nick's actions threaten to alienate him from his clique, Carell has spoken about how the series ultimately brought him closer to Fey.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
3 May 2025
Noun
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By then, the French had been struggling for years to break the Spanish monopoly on what had become a lucrative spice, planting vanilla in the tropical outposts of their own empire.—
Jay Cheshes,
Smithsonian Magazine,
20 May 2025
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This morning’s must reads Food On the Curtis Stone farm at the heart of his growing lifestyle empire May 19, 2025 Other must reads ‘Saturday Night Live’ Season 50 is complete.—
Hailey Branson-Potts,
Los Angeles Times,
20 May 2025
Noun
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Away from the front line, communities are rebuilding and establishing public services outside of the junta system.—
Emily Fishbein, Hpan Ja Brang,
The Dial,
17 Apr. 2025
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The opposition’s shadow National Unity Government, which leads resistance to the military government, accused the junta Saturday of carrying out 63 airstrikes and artillery attacks since the earthquake, resulting in the deaths of 68 civilians, including one child and 15 women.—
Grant Peck,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Apr. 2025
Noun
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For instance, during Rafael Trujillo’s dictatorship in the Dominican Republic from 1930 to 1961, the head of intelligence, Johnny Abbes, was plucked from obscurity in Mexico and in 1958 began to lead the dictator’s repression machine.—
Erica Frantz,
The Conversation,
16 May 2025
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In the Soviet dictatorship, this was meant literally: engineers and senior managers in charge of color film production would be denounced, arrested, and executed during the Great Purges of 1937–1838.—
Matthew Wills,
JSTOR Daily,
15 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Oligarchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oligarchy. Accessed 28 May. 2025.
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