theocracy
noun
the·oc·ra·cy
thē-ˈä-krə-sē 
plural theocracies
1
: government of a state by immediate divine guidance or by officials who are regarded as divinely guided
2
: a state governed by a theocracy
Examples of theocracy in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This rhetoric now holds fresh appeal for regional audiences who were otherwise unsympathetic toward a Shiite theocracy and gives Iran a convenient opportunity to shame its Sunni Arab rivals.
—
Suzanne Maloney, Foreign Affairs, 8 Apr. 2024
When the revolution toppled the monarchy in 1979, the new clerical rulers declared an Islamic theocracy and for years discouraged and even cracked down on Persian celebrations that predated Islam, including Chaharshanbeh Suri.
—Farnaz Fassihi, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024
Even Iraq’s 1980 invasion of Iran worked to the fledgling theocracy’s advantage by rallying internal support for the new order in Tehran, providing the occasion to build a strong domestic defense industry, and enabling the regime to survive its infancy.
—Suzanne Maloney, Foreign Affairs, 8 Apr. 2024
When Trump won the first time, those who would replace democracy with Christian theocracy weren’t prepared.
—Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024
For Iran, there's been growing pressure for action after the Islamic State group attack, Israel's war on Hamas and wider unrest against its theocracy.
—Munir Ahmed and Jon Gambrell, USA TODAY, 18 Jan. 2024
And Gush Emunim’s numinous views have morphed into something arguably darker than mere theocracy—views comprehensively documented by Yair Nehorai, a civil-rights attorney, in his 2022 book The Third Revolution (available only in Hebrew).
—Jordan Castro, Harper's Magazine, 9 Jan. 2024
But this ignores a fundamental motivation of Iran’s theocracy: anti-Semitism.
—Reuel Marc Gerecht, WSJ, 27 Nov. 2023
Too many outside influences and IMHO and Democracy in a theocracy cannot last.
—Meg Kelly, Washington Post, 17 Nov. 2023
Suzanne Maloney, Foreign Affairs, 8 Apr. 2024
When the revolution toppled the monarchy in 1979, the new clerical rulers declared an Islamic theocracy and for years discouraged and even cracked down on Persian celebrations that predated Islam, including Chaharshanbeh Suri.
—Farnaz Fassihi, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024
Even Iraq’s 1980 invasion of Iran worked to the fledgling theocracy’s advantage by rallying internal support for the new order in Tehran, providing the occasion to build a strong domestic defense industry, and enabling the regime to survive its infancy.
—Suzanne Maloney, Foreign Affairs, 8 Apr. 2024
When Trump won the first time, those who would replace democracy with Christian theocracy weren’t prepared.
—Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024
For Iran, there's been growing pressure for action after the Islamic State group attack, Israel's war on Hamas and wider unrest against its theocracy.
—Munir Ahmed and Jon Gambrell, USA TODAY, 18 Jan. 2024
And Gush Emunim’s numinous views have morphed into something arguably darker than mere theocracy—views comprehensively documented by Yair Nehorai, a civil-rights attorney, in his 2022 book The Third Revolution (available only in Hebrew).
—Jordan Castro, Harper's Magazine, 9 Jan. 2024
But this ignores a fundamental motivation of Iran’s theocracy: anti-Semitism.
—Reuel Marc Gerecht, WSJ, 27 Nov. 2023
Too many outside influences and IMHO and Democracy in a theocracy cannot last.
—Meg Kelly, Washington Post, 17 Nov. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'theocracy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Theocracy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/theocracy. Accessed 28 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
theocracy
noun
the·oc·ra·cy
thē-ˈäk-rə-sē
plural theocracies
1
: government of a country by officials believed to have divine guidance
2
: a country governed by a theocracy
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