as in dominion
controlling power or influence over others
a nation whose economic imperium waned after the war
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of imperium
Everyone in the imperium knows the emperor is a nincompoop—and yet no one wants to go out on a limb to criticize him.
—
Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2025
The Islamic Republic of Iran is motivated by a desire to bring about the end times and usher in an everlasting Islamic imperium.
—Mike Coté, National Review, 20 July 2025
Nintendo has built a reputation on its willingness to catch fans off-guard, and a shutterbug adventure was the last thing anyone expected at the zenith of Pokemon’s imperium.
—Luke Winkie, Vulture, 18 June 2025
Poland, through a protest movement, led the liberation of Europe from the Soviet imperium, culminating with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.
—Roger Cohen, New York Times, 5 May 2024
Even the Commonwealth—long a convenient way to sustain a more symbolic form of cultural imperium—has lost much of its meaning.
—Fintan O’Toole, Foreign Affairs, 21 Feb. 2023
Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2025
The Islamic Republic of Iran is motivated by a desire to bring about the end times and usher in an everlasting Islamic imperium.
—Mike Coté, National Review, 20 July 2025
Nintendo has built a reputation on its willingness to catch fans off-guard, and a shutterbug adventure was the last thing anyone expected at the zenith of Pokemon’s imperium.
—Luke Winkie, Vulture, 18 June 2025
Poland, through a protest movement, led the liberation of Europe from the Soviet imperium, culminating with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.
—Roger Cohen, New York Times, 5 May 2024
Even the Commonwealth—long a convenient way to sustain a more symbolic form of cultural imperium—has lost much of its meaning.
—Fintan O’Toole, Foreign Affairs, 21 Feb. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imperium
Noun
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Or could an upstart that prioritizes love and mercy, say, over dominion lure away their customers?—
Michael Luo,
New Yorker,
14 June 2026
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But first comes Infantino’s own strategic test, the same one faced by every emperor whose dominion threatens to collapse because of overexpansion.—
Chris Jones,
The Atlantic,
7 June 2026
Noun
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With the ongoing domination of streaming services, many local stations are struggling to compete and maintain viewership.—
Cerys Davies,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
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But the Pixar domination didn't end there.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
Noun
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Around 64% of Saudi Arabia’s total energy supply was from oil in 2023, according to International Energy Agency data, suggesting in this case the trade-off for sovereignty could be sustainability.—
Tasmin Lockwood,
CNBC,
9 Dec. 2025
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The two Southeast Asian nations have long disputed territorial sovereignty along their land border of more than 500 miles, according to The Associated Press.—
Morgan Winsor,
ABC News,
9 Dec. 2025
Noun
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The Vikings must find a way to run or throw with dominance to pigeonhole defenses.—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
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The goal for Netflix appears to be to chip away at the daytime entertainment space, with podcasts seen as the new daytime talk show, as well as to compete with YouTube’s dominance in the space.—
Caitlin Huston,
HollywoodReporter,
15 June 2026
Noun
-
In order for this society to work (a society based on White supremacy), there has to be a dehumanizing belief that there are a group of people that are static, and cannot, no matter what, move out of this category.—
John Blake,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
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Over the next two decades, Flagg and Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs may be fighting for hoops supremacy.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Imperium.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imperium. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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