monarchy

noun

Definition of monarchynext
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.

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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.

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of monarchy Only the second time a member of the British monarchy has married an American, the union was met with manic fanfare on both sides of the pond. — Edward Segarra, USA Today, 29 July 2026 This is one of many changes that the former Princess of Wales is responsible for in the monarchy. — Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 28 July 2026 This biennial event, focusing on these symbols of monarchy, will feature curators, historians, and gemologists from institutions like The Met and Rijksmuseum. — Anthony Demarco, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026 In the years that followed, the monarchy’s presence in soccer was primarily ensured by other members of the royal family. — Stefania Conrieri, Vanity Fair, 15 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for monarchy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for monarchy
  1. monarchism
  2. democracy
  3. republic
  4. dictatorship
  5. sovereign
  6. kingdom
  7. commonwealth
  8. nation
Noun
  • 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
  • And the Decemberists tried to overthrow the Tsar and insist on having some of the more basic aspects of representative constitutional monarchism introduced into Russia.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 7 Dec. 2022
Definition of monarchism
Noun
  • Taiwan is no stranger to cyberattacks, particularly from neighboring China, which claims the East Asian democracy as its own and has vowed to annex it, by force if necessary.
    — John Liu, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
  • But humanitarian workers say the government's earthquake response has transcended those tensions, reflecting the resilience of Colombia’s democracy.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of democracy
Noun
  • Then, the entire Soviet Union disintegrated, with all 15 republics breaking away, but in a peaceful process that Gorbachev hoped would lead to the creation of new democracies across Europe and Asia.
    — Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • At least 13 people were killed, including a child, and 78 others were injured in a Ukrainian drone attack in the Russian republic of Tatarstan, authorities in the region said.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of republic
Noun
  • While the White House hoped to remove Díaz-Canel and the Castro family from power, the push has been complicated by the lack of a credible opposition since revolutionary brothers Fidel and Raúl overthrew the island’s military dictatorship in 1959.
    — Bloomberg, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026
  • The Dominican Republic's former Minister for Regional Integration Policies, Miguel Mejía, considered the measure extreme, comparable only to the rupture imposed during the 31-year dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo that ended in 1961.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of dictatorship
Noun
  • On 28 July, Moody’s changed its MENA outlook from stable to negative, noting that the impairment of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz will weigh on the growth of Gulf sovereigns, as well as their fiscal and external positions.
    — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2026
  • As one of the big three ratings agencies, alongside Fitch and Moody’s, S&P Global plays a crucial role in determining whether African sovereigns and businesses can secure capital from international financial markets.
    — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of sovereign
Noun
  • The kingdom has faced increasing attacks from the Houthis, who also declared a blockade on the al-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea on July 20.
    — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Belle and the Beast will have to not only find their way back to their own love, but also help the princess find hers in order to lift the curse from the kingdom and return home.
    — Todd Spangler, Variety, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of kingdom
Noun
  • The commonwealth also accuses TikTok of intentionally designing a platform to be addictive to young people with an infinite scroll that in turn helps the company's bottom line but at the cost of children's mental well-being and development.
    — Lauren Linder, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Nine students, represented by their guardians, along with four nonprofit groups, have sued Massachusetts, saying the commonwealth had denied schoolchildren the right to an adequate education and to equal protection under the law.
    — Cameron Pugh, Christian Science Monitor, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of commonwealth
Noun
  • The United States, once the top provider of assistance to Afghanistan, no longer even ranks in the top five of donor nations.
    — Kara Fox, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Liechtenstein, a wealthy nation of 40,000 people that borders Switzerland and Austria, has an unusually powerful monarchy by European standards.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of nation

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Cite this Entry

“Monarchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/monarchy. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on monarchy

Nglish: Translation of monarchy for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about monarchy

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