as in families
a group of people who are related that maintain a powerful position for a long time
The latest heirs of the ruling dynasty have no interest in ceding their position of authority over the land.
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Recent Examples of dynasties
Three generations of Foleys are now cemented among some of the best swimming family dynasties the state has ever seen.
—
Erik Anderson, Boston Herald, 16 Feb. 2026
But empires fall, and dynasties crumble.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 8 Feb. 2026
The Patriots are the only franchise to have back-to-back dynasties, with the first coming in the 2000s, followed by another in the 2010s.
—Saad Yousuf, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Evidently, neither did, despite leading one of the most successful and longest-running dynasties in the history of modern professional sports.
—Zack Cox, Hartford Courant, 3 Feb. 2026
Older brother Matthew, 28, is one of the architects of the NHL’s current dynasties, winning back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Florida Panthers.
—Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 28 Jan. 2026
In some dynasties, the lineage is clear—the Trumps and the Kennedys are a long line of nesting nepo babies.
—Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 16 Jan. 2026
History is everywhere in Okinawa, which from 1429 to 1879 was the Ryukyu Kingdom, a tributary state under China’s Ming and Qing dynasties.
—Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 16 Jan. 2026
Fantasy, at its grandest, is about wars, dynasties, prophecies, and the long shadow of history, action, and consequences.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2026
Erik Anderson, Boston Herald, 16 Feb. 2026
But empires fall, and dynasties crumble.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 8 Feb. 2026
The Patriots are the only franchise to have back-to-back dynasties, with the first coming in the 2000s, followed by another in the 2010s.
—Saad Yousuf, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Evidently, neither did, despite leading one of the most successful and longest-running dynasties in the history of modern professional sports.
—Zack Cox, Hartford Courant, 3 Feb. 2026
Older brother Matthew, 28, is one of the architects of the NHL’s current dynasties, winning back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Florida Panthers.
—Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 28 Jan. 2026
In some dynasties, the lineage is clear—the Trumps and the Kennedys are a long line of nesting nepo babies.
—Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 16 Jan. 2026
History is everywhere in Okinawa, which from 1429 to 1879 was the Ryukyu Kingdom, a tributary state under China’s Ming and Qing dynasties.
—Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 16 Jan. 2026
Fantasy, at its grandest, is about wars, dynasties, prophecies, and the long shadow of history, action, and consequences.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dynasties
Noun
-
Thousands are missing and families are still in mourning.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Careers and families took up their time and energy; vacations were for kids’ college tours or visiting relatives.—
Lilit Marcus,
CNN Money,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
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But, as is often the case with the Fraser and MacKenzie clans, drama was never far behind.—
Amy Wilkinson,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Ten clans or more gather at the end of the movie.—
Ingrid Schmidt,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Controlled at different periods by Chinese, Indians, Portuguese, and Dutch settlers, the city boasts red brick houses typical of the Netherlands, a number of Portuguese buildings, and mosques and temples representing its Chinese and Malay past.—
Annabelle Dufraigne,
Architectural Digest,
15 Feb. 2026
-
The grassroots group has sponsored educational forums on water conservation, waste management, worm farming, composting, electrification of houses along with renewable energy.—
Julie Gallant,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
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And, lately, the country’s ultrarich have been behaving like modern-day land barons, quietly assembling empires measured not just in acres but in square miles and state sizes.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
10 Feb. 2026
-
But empires fall, and dynasties crumble.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
For example, her research into Southern California’s Kumeyaay and Cahuilla Indigenous tribes inspired a series of large jars patterned after ollas, traditional pots used for water and seed storage.—
Leigh-Ann Jackson,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Feb. 2026
-
For instance, the idea for the dire wolf came from discussions with the MHA Nation (the affiliated tribes of Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara) in North Dakota, which Colossal had come to meet with about bison.—
Mike Snider,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But these are relatively new arrivals on Earth; all three kingdoms are less than one billion years old.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Discovering a site like this allows archaeologists to further understand the culture and society of early medieval England, when the country was fragmented into several kingdoms but rulers like Offa were beginning to unify it and Alfred the Great was fighting off Viking invaders.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dynasties.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dynasties. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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