1
as in monarchism
a system of government in which there is only one ruler whose power is unlimited
Under a monarchy, the position of ruler is often passed down from parent to child.
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2
as in democracy
a group of people who live in a territory ruled by a single person
The country was formerly a monarchy, but has now transitioned to a republic.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of monarchy
The primary strategic target of the declaration was the Bourbon monarchies of France and Spain, Britain’s chief rivals.
—
Christopher Magra, The Conversation, 7 Apr. 2026
Elegant and perfectly comfortable in the royal dress code, Harriet Sperling represents a breath of fresh air for the British monarchy.
—Giorgia Olivieri, Vanity Fair, 6 Apr. 2026
The royal family is celebrating Easter weeks after turmoil for the monarchy.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 5 Apr. 2026
What is designed as a ceremonial visit, however, risks becoming a test of the monarchy's willingness to confront one of the royal family's most persistent controversies.
—Karla Adam The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for monarchy
Christopher Magra, The Conversation, 7 Apr. 2026
Elegant and perfectly comfortable in the royal dress code, Harriet Sperling represents a breath of fresh air for the British monarchy.
—Giorgia Olivieri, Vanity Fair, 6 Apr. 2026
The royal family is celebrating Easter weeks after turmoil for the monarchy.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 5 Apr. 2026
What is designed as a ceremonial visit, however, risks becoming a test of the monarchy's willingness to confront one of the royal family's most persistent controversies.
—Karla Adam The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for monarchy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for monarchy
Noun
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But for anyone outside the British elite, the constitutional monarchism that emerged after the civil wars did not look much like democracy or true liberty.—
Andrew Cockburn,
Harper's Magazine,
20 Aug. 2024
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And the Decemberists tried to overthrow the Tsar and insist on having some of the more basic aspects of representative constitutional monarchism introduced into Russia.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
7 Dec. 2022
Noun
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European Union lawmakers and many Western watchdogs had no longer considered the country a full democracy.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
12 Apr. 2026
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The myth of ‘Sunshine’ A special session on the budget is bad for democracy.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
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To build a bridge between the two groups to put the people back in their rightful place at the head of the republic.—
Aaron Everitt,
STAT,
10 Apr. 2026
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One would, in fact, be hard-pressed to discover within the historical records of the republic a Cabinet member more hermetically aligned with his commander in chief’s agenda than Hegseth.—
Kelly Sloan,
The Orlando Sentinel,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In just 13 years, Putin warped Russia’s once-promising constitutional democracy into an authoritarian dictatorship.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
14 Apr. 2026
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Mexico is neither at war nor under a military dictatorship, yet thousands of people disappear every year amid cartel violence.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
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For one, having a sovereign customer, rather than selling to another private company, helps improve the financing terms Infinity Power can attract (even if the sovereign is a troubled one like Egypt).—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
14 Apr. 2026
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In a turn straight from a Shakespearean drama, the shocking abdication of her uncle King Edward VIII made her father the new sovereign in 1936 and set Princess Elizabeth, then 10, on the path to reign one day.—
Janine Henni,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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This small Buddhist kingdom in the eastern Himalayas between China and India is experiencing growth in tourism after opening to international visitors only 50 years ago.—
Patricia Doherty,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Apr. 2026
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Meanwhile, separate attacks on Saudi Arabia’s Manifa and Khurais oil fields have cut the kingdom’s production by roughly 600,000 barrels per day, the Saudi Press Agency said.—
Lee Ying Shan,Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Dhillon has already begun gearing up to bring a lawsuit against the commonwealth.—
Amy DeLaura,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Apr. 2026
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Beshear said last month that order helped the commonwealth make significant and important progress in the fight against addiction.—
Alex Acquisto,
CNN Money,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Unions representing teachers and principals reached tentative contract agreements with nation’s second-largest school district over the weekend.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
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Trotsky’s arguments about revolution in one nation versus a revolution of the international proletariat, like the fine argumentative tracery of Paul’s Jewish Christians versus Greek ones, seemed vital to the movement at the time but weirdly trivial and abstract to those outside it.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Monarchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/monarchy. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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