1
: a person who reigns over a kingdom or empire: such as
a
: a sovereign ruler
b
: a constitutional (see constitutional entry 1 sense 1) king or queen
2
: one that holds preeminent position or power
Cotton, monarch of the textile world …—
Wall Street Journal
Wall Street JournalSynonyms of monarch
Examples of monarch in a Sentence
a new history of French monarchs
the ruling monarch of Britain at that time was Queen Elizabeth I
Recent Examples on the Web
Throughout decades of duty and service, the late monarch expressed other heartfelt sentiments in her speeches — from addressing the importance of tackling climate change to reminding people to love their neighbors regardless of race, religion or creed.
—Andrea Wurzburger, PEOPLE, 30 Nov. 2025
The king was, after all, the oldest monarch to succeed to the British throne to begin with, and adding cancer to it is always concerning.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 29 Nov. 2025
When clouds get in the way, monarchs switch to a backup compass that relies on ultraviolet light to detect the angle of the Earth’s magnetic field.
—Big Think, 27 Nov. 2025
The wedding itself was held on 29 July 1981 in Saint Paul’s Cathedral, in London, followed by a lavish reception at Buckingham Palace, the official residence for British monarchs.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for monarch
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Andrea Wurzburger, PEOPLE, 30 Nov. 2025
The king was, after all, the oldest monarch to succeed to the British throne to begin with, and adding cancer to it is always concerning.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 29 Nov. 2025
When clouds get in the way, monarchs switch to a backup compass that relies on ultraviolet light to detect the angle of the Earth’s magnetic field.
—Big Think, 27 Nov. 2025
The wedding itself was held on 29 July 1981 in Saint Paul’s Cathedral, in London, followed by a lavish reception at Buckingham Palace, the official residence for British monarchs.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for monarch
Cite this Entry
“Monarch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monarch. Accessed 5 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
monarch
noun
mon·arch
ˈmän-ərk 
-ˌärk
1
: a person who reigns over a kingdom or empire: as
a
: a ruler who has total power
absolute monarch
b
: someone who acts primarily as chief of state and who has only limited powers
constitutional monarch
2
: someone or something like a monarch
the oak is the monarch of the forest
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