democratic
adjective
dem·o·crat·ic
ˌde-mə-ˈkra-tik 
1
Democratic
: of, relating to, or constituting one of the two major political parties in the U.S. that is usually associated with government regulation of business, finance, and industry, with federally funded education and social services, with separation of church and state, with support for abortion rights, affirmative action, gun control, and policies and laws that protect and support the rights of workers and minorities, and with internationalism and multilateralism in foreign policy
a Democratic governor/senator
Democratic voters
Democratic leadership
members of the Democratic Party
see also democratic-republican
2
a
: based on a form of government in which the people choose leaders by voting : of, relating to, or favoring democracy (see democracy sense 1)
democratic elections
a democratic government
… in spite of her American birth and breeding, she possessed that reverence for titles which haunts the best of us—that unacknowledged loyalty to the early faith in kings which set the most democratic nation under the sun in ferment at the coming of a royal yellow-haired laddie, some years ago …—
Louisa May Alcott
Louisa May Alcott
b
: relating to the idea that all people should be treated equally
The true public library, in the sense that we use the term today, came into existence as a response to the needs of an evolving democratic society.—Fred Lerner
Fred LernerHis attitude was simply the flower of his general good-nature, and a part of his instinctive and genuinely democratic assumption of every one's right to lead an easy life.—Henry James
Henry James
especially
: organized or operated so that all people involved have power, influence, etc.
Local AFT [American Federation of Teachers] … is conducting open bargaining. All sessions are open for workers to walk in and are to be transparent, which helps understanding, is more democratic, and shows power—there is power in numbers. —Jayson Massey
Jayson Massey 3
: relating, appealing, or available to the broad masses of the people : designed for or liked by most people
the benefits of a democratic education
New word contests appeal to a wide swath of the population because neology is a democratic art. Oil painting and sculpting, for example, are arts that require years of study and practice, but coining new words requires nothing but a willing mind and "ordinary linguistic competence."—Paul McFedries
Paul McFedriesExamples of democratic in a Sentence
Democratic elections were held there today for the first time.
the country's new democratic constitution
Debates are an important part of the democratic process.
The Democratic candidate for governor won the debate.
Most of these policies appeal to Democratic voters.
an interview with a leader of the Democratic Party
The organization works to promote democratic reforms around the world.
Recent Examples on the Web
Despite his status as a longtime Democratic donor, Ellison’s acquisition of The Free Press and his installation of founder Bari Weiss atop CBS News also raised alarm from Democrats, who have criticized some of her editorial decisions as biased against the left.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 6 Mar. 2026
The 2020 Democratic presidential primary, the party's last open nominating contest, featured a rush to the left as candidates raced to embrace far-reaching ideas including Medicare-for-all, the Green New Deal and aggressive taxes on billionaires.
—Jeff Stein The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 6 Mar. 2026
With most Democratic primary winners expected to win outright in November, the stakes are high.
—ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026
Opposition to rising power prices was also a key factor in Democratic wins last year in elections in states including Georgia, Virginia and New Jersey.
—Josh Boak, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for democratic
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Max Tani, semafor.com, 6 Mar. 2026
The 2020 Democratic presidential primary, the party's last open nominating contest, featured a rush to the left as candidates raced to embrace far-reaching ideas including Medicare-for-all, the Green New Deal and aggressive taxes on billionaires.
—Jeff Stein The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 6 Mar. 2026
With most Democratic primary winners expected to win outright in November, the stakes are high.
—ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026
Opposition to rising power prices was also a key factor in Democratic wins last year in elections in states including Georgia, Virginia and New Jersey.
—Josh Boak, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for democratic
Cite this Entry
“Democratic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/democratic. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
democratic
adjective
dem·o·crat·ic
ˌdem-ə-ˈkrat-ik
1
: of, relating to, or favoring political, social, or economic democracy
2
capitalized
: of or relating to a major U.S. political party associated with policies of helping the common people and encouraging cooperation between nations
3
: of, relating to, or appealing to the common people
democratic art
4
: favoring social equality : not snobbish
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