variants
also anarchical
as in rebellious
not restrained by or under the control of legal authority
the citywide blackouts caused anarchic looting and rioting
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of anarchic
Could this be the anarchic mind that emerges when the ego relinquishes its hold?
—
Michael Pollan, The Atlantic, 26 Jan. 2026
About 15 years ago, in February 2011, a menacing group of young adults set the internet ablaze with its anarchic musical performance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.
—Eric Renner Brown, Billboard, 19 Jan. 2026
Reiner could be called a journeyman director, except what kind of journeyman director could make a movie as confident as When Harry Met Sally, or as anarchic as This Is Spinal Tap, or one that juggles as many tones as The Princess Bride?
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 16 Dec. 2025
The internet is ascendant, and anarchic.
—Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 13 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for anarchic
Michael Pollan, The Atlantic, 26 Jan. 2026
About 15 years ago, in February 2011, a menacing group of young adults set the internet ablaze with its anarchic musical performance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.
—Eric Renner Brown, Billboard, 19 Jan. 2026
Reiner could be called a journeyman director, except what kind of journeyman director could make a movie as confident as When Harry Met Sally, or as anarchic as This Is Spinal Tap, or one that juggles as many tones as The Princess Bride?
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 16 Dec. 2025
The internet is ascendant, and anarchic.
—Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 13 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for anarchic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anarchic
Adjective
-
For Jean, Judge’s visit to Annecy is a momentous occasion that reflects the Festival’s determination to highlight the dynamism, social relevance and rebellious audacity of American adult animation series.—
Kevin Giraud,
Variety,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Like most of us, FIG shed its more rebellious tendencies over time.—
Robert F. Moss,
Southern Living,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The jury acquitted Contreras-Gafaro of nine additional charges, including theft in a range of $20,000 to $100,000, felony menacing, third-degree assault, child abuse, false imprisonment and criminal mischief, according to court records.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Pennsylvania State Police and its criminal investigation unit responded to the scene, and the coroner has also been notified.—
Garrett Behanna,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
At The Battery Atlanta in Cobb County, police arrested multiple people after a recent event that authorities say led to disorderly behavior and safety concerns.—
Christopher Harris,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
-
People can be arrested for drunk and disorderly behavior, urinating in public or having open alcohol containers in vehicles.—
Michael Salerno,
AZCentral.com,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The medical examiner also determined the drug was illicit (as opposed to medical-grade) and ingested orally.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
18 Mar. 2026
-
The smugglers let him aboard, and the boy clambered around hatches that, if opened, would reveal dozens of felonies worth of illicit cargo.—
Jack Crosbie,
Rolling Stone,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Louisville police say anything that goes into the air or explodes is illegal for average citizens.—
James Bruggers,
The Courier-Journal,
5 July 2017
-
Official fireworks shows took place over the city, and illegal pyrotechnics lit up the sky everywhere in between.—
Lisa Beebe,
Los Angeles Magazine,
5 July 2017
Adjective
-
Great art is by nature lawless.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Typically set in the mid-to-late-1800s on the American frontier, these films often feature characters who make their own rules, from bounty hunters and cowboys to outlaws in lawless territories.—
Sezin Devi Keohler,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Anarchic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anarchic. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
