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

In 2020, an American drone strike had assassinated General Qassem Suleimani, who oversaw support for Iran’s proxies and was widely viewed as the theocracy’s second most powerful leader, after Khamenei. —Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2026

They are aimed at liberty, normalization and everything dictatorial theocracy fears most. —Calev Myers, New York Daily News, 9 Mar. 2026

Pezeshkian's message, seemingly recorded in a hurry, underlined the limited powers exercised by the theocracy's leaders over the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which controls the hundreds of ballistic missiles targeting Israel and other countries. —Arkansas Online, 8 Mar. 2026

Pezeshkian’s message, seemingly recorded in a hurry, underlined the limited powers exercised by the theocracy’s leaders over the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which controls the hundreds of ballistic missiles targeting Israel and other countries. —Jon Gambrell, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Greek theokratia, from the- + -kratia -cracy

First Known Use

circa 1631, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for theocracy

• autocracy
• bureaucracy
• democracy
• hypocrisy
• plutocracy
• aristocracy
• meritocracy

Kids 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