Definition of empire
1a (1) : a major political unit having a territory of great extent or a number of territories or peoples under a single sovereign authority; especially : one having an emperor as chief of state (2) : the territory of such a political unitb : something resembling a political empire; especially : an extensive territory or enterprise under single domination or control
2 : imperial sovereignty, rule, or dominion
3 capitalized [Empire State, nickname for New York] : a juicy apple with dark red skin that is a cross between a McIntosh apple and a Red Delicious apple
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Examples of empire in a Sentence
She built a tiny business into a worldwide empire.
He controlled a cattle empire in the heart of Texas.
Recent Examples of empire from the Web
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The presence of black soldiers on the field of battle shattered every myth the South’s slave empire was built on: The happy docility of slaves, their intellectual inferiority, their cowardice, their inability to compete with whites.
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Kushner’s father and uncle have been feuding publicly for more than a decade through competing property empires.
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Of the Marc Jacobs mini-empire on Bleecker Street, the only survivor is Bookmarc, at 400 Bleecker, which sells art books along with items like $80 smartphone cases.
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Jared Kushner had barely survived a fight to save his family's real estate empire.
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His son Jay has been involved in the IndyCar team for years, while his three other sons and his daughter, Blair, have always supported the racing side of the Penske empire.
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Malta Files reporting has also exposed offshoring schemes of the Italian mafia, a Russian billionaire’s payday loan empire, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, soccer stars, and yacht-owning European oligarchs, among others.
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The temporary assignment turned into extended refuge for the Brzezinski family as Poland was invaded by Germany and the Soviet Union, partitioned, and then absorbed into the Soviet empire after the war.
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Fred Rogers, who died 14 years ago, created a lifestyle (and a beloved children's show) that became an empire of empathy.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'empire'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of empire
Middle English, from Anglo-French empire, empirie, from Latin imperium absolute authority, empire, from imperare to command — more at emperor
First Known Use: 14th century
Other Government and Politics Terms
Empire
playDefinition of Empire
: of, relating to, or characteristic of a style (as of clothing or furniture) popular in early 19th century France
Origin and Etymology of empire
French, from (le premier) Empire the first Empire of France
First Known Use: 1852
EMPIRE Defined for Kids
empire
playDefinition of empire for Students
1 : a group of territories or peoples under one ruler the Roman empire
2 : a country whose ruler is called an emperor
Learn More about empire
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See words that rhyme with empire Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for empire Spanish Central: Translation of empire Nglish: Translation of empire for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of empire for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about empire
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