as in chaos
a state in which there is widespread wrongdoing and disregard for rules and authority
the anarchy that the country experienced after the dictator drained the treasury and fled the country
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Recent Examples of anarchy
Through gleeful anarchy, a variety of filters, and a kinetic score, the two Maries spoil themselves with sweets, outwit suitors, and desecrate the rituals of fine dining in a glorious climax of rebellion.
—
Jennifer Noyes,
Air Mail,
25 Apr. 2026
Two years later, the midnight-movie adaptation The Rocky Horror Picture Show transformed it into a cultural phenomenon, fueled by raucous responses, scant costumes and a sense of communal anarchy.
—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
For the first time in US history, American physical dominance is being fused with American political anarchy.
—
Fintan O’Toole,
The New York Review of Books,
9 Apr. 2026
Mabel, in faux-beaver form, rallies the wildlife to fight Mayor Jerry but sows anarchy in doing so.
—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for anarchy
Jennifer Noyes,
Air Mail,
25 Apr. 2026
Two years later, the midnight-movie adaptation The Rocky Horror Picture Show transformed it into a cultural phenomenon, fueled by raucous responses, scant costumes and a sense of communal anarchy.
—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
For the first time in US history, American physical dominance is being fused with American political anarchy.
—
Fintan O’Toole,
The New York Review of Books,
9 Apr. 2026
Mabel, in faux-beaver form, rallies the wildlife to fight Mayor Jerry but sows anarchy in doing so.
—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for anarchy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anarchy
Noun
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Authorities are trying to avoid a repeat of the chaos at the Copa América in 2024, which saw fans rushing stadiums, leading to massive crowds and dangerous conditions.
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The second half brought almost as much chaos as the buildup.
Noun
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Haiti also did it without playing a single qualifying match in Haiti because of unrest.
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Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s Prosperity Party retained its large parliamentary majority in recent elections overshadowed by unrest in Africa’s second-most-populous country.
Noun
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Americans are accustomed to showing wide deference to senior military leaders, treating them as dutiful public servants rather than possible enablers of presidential lawlessness.
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Ramaphosa accused these groups of exploiting migration anxieties to sow division through lawlessness and violence.
Noun
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The federal program, established by Congress in 1990, shields immigrants from countries in turmoil from deportation.
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This catastrophe severely exacerbates Venezuela's existing economic crisis and political turmoil, leaving children facing extreme deprivation, malnutrition, and disease.
Noun
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Authorities have forever linked soccer with the misrule of the mob: What bounces is at best frivolous, at worst dangerous.
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The engineer said decades of misrule have been hard on Iranians.
Cite this Entry
“Anarchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anarchy. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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