anarchic

adjective

a-ˈnär-kik How to pronounce anarchic (audio)
variants also anarchical
Definition of anarchicnext
as in rebellious
not restrained by or under the control of legal authority the citywide blackouts caused anarchic looting and rioting

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 anarchic The action was technical and inventive but also anarchic, in the image of its director, former Monty Python actor Terry Gilliam, by this point a big name in Hollywood. — Jack Lang, New York Times, 3 June 2026 No one embodies this anarchic sensibility like David Letterman, the original Late Show host, who recently joined Colbert to hurl CBS property off the studio’s roof, in a reprisal of a vintage bit. — Judy Berman, Time, 22 May 2026 In the ’90s, when Letterman took that vibe to CBS to launch The Late Show, his replacement, Conan O’Brien, brought an anarchic, surreal approach that went on to influence a new generation of comedians. — David Sims, The Atlantic, 15 May 2026 Europe’s three major institutions, Bologna, Paris and Oxford, welcomed between 1,000 and 2,500 students each in these early decades, and conditions were sprawling, anarchic and provisional. — Literary Hub, 14 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for anarchic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anarchic
  1. rebellious
  2. criminal
  3. disorderly
  4. illicit
  5. lawless
Adjective
  • Twenty-nine years have passed since then, yet the memory of the princess—an empathetic woman who defied convention, vulnerable yet rebellious, and imbued with a profound humanity—remains vivid and very much alive in the eyes of the entire world.
    — Laura Scafati, Vanity Fair, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Next month, broader audiences will discover Halkias’s rebellious brand of humor with Uncle Stav, his latest Netflix standup special, a follow-up to 2023’s Fat Rascal.
    — Jonathan Borge, InStyle, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of rebellious
Adjective
  • By the way, his freshman season ended with a 41-27 loss to Manning and Texas in the Citrus Bowl, playing for interim coach Biff Poggi after Sherrone Moore was fired amid criminal charges.
    — Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Jamaica’s petition is based on an 1833 law that made the committee the highest court for civil and criminal appeals in the British Empire.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of criminal
Adjective
  • Betty Laura Zapata | Bloomberg | Getty Images The growing threat posed by advanced artificial intelligence models could trigger a disorderly correction in global financial markets, according to Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey.
    — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Bessent’s maneuvers are distinct, some observers say, by not being prompted by crisis or particularly disorderly market conditions.
    — Christopher Anstey, Fortune, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of disorderly
Adjective
  • In Virginia’s Franklin County, Henry Law made the switch from illicit moonshine production to commercial sales.
    — Cole Reynolds, Washington Post, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Johnny’s undercover mission leads to an unexpected bromance as he gets drawn into his target’s world of illicit thrills.
    — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of illicit
Adjective
  • The show, Gunsmoke & Mirrors, is set in the late 19th century and chronicles the transformation of Christian Rørmose Madsen, who reinvented himself in the lawless crucible of the American West.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Impeachment in abeyance Impeachment, which has a visceral appeal to certain of those deeply aggrieved by this lawless president, is not a first resort, Garcia said.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of lawless

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anarchic
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Cite this Entry

“Anarchic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anarchic. Accessed 10 Sep. 2026.

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