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
The special coins recognize those over the age of 70 for outstanding service to their communities, and the number of recipients matches the age of the monarch.
—Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE, 5 Apr. 2026
Karwai Tang / WireImage via Getty Images The monarch's younger brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who was arrested in February by police on suspicion of misconduct in public office, was absent after attending last year's Easter gathering accompanied by ex-wife Sarah Ferguson.
—Reuters, NBC news, 5 Apr. 2026
Once summer comes, native milkweeds are covered with monarch larvae that will pupate before the adults emerge in all their glory.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 4 Apr. 2026
Operation Ajax, a joint CIA-British operation, convinced the Shah of Iran, the country’s monarch, to dismiss Mossadegh and drive him from office by force.
—Jeffrey Fields, The Conversation, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for monarch
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Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE, 5 Apr. 2026
Karwai Tang / WireImage via Getty Images The monarch's younger brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who was arrested in February by police on suspicion of misconduct in public office, was absent after attending last year's Easter gathering accompanied by ex-wife Sarah Ferguson.
—Reuters, NBC news, 5 Apr. 2026
Once summer comes, native milkweeds are covered with monarch larvae that will pupate before the adults emerge in all their glory.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 4 Apr. 2026
Operation Ajax, a joint CIA-British operation, convinced the Shah of Iran, the country’s monarch, to dismiss Mossadegh and drive him from office by force.
—Jeffrey Fields, The Conversation, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for monarch
Cite this Entry
“Monarch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monarch. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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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