monarchism

Definition of monarchismnext
as in monarchy
a system of government in which there is only one ruler whose power is unlimited In the past, monarchism was the world's most common system of government.

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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 monarchism 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 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, 7 Dec. 2022 King Charles can take strength from the inherent monarchism of the British people, which grew even stronger in the last two decades of Elizabeth’s reign. Tunku Varadarajan, WSJ, 11 Sep. 2022 Yet, paradoxically, the regular waves of anti-monarchism were held at bay largely by the sheer, irrefutable fact of her continued existence. Vulture, 8 Sep. 2022 For in the dozen or so countries that make up South-East Asia, liberal democracy has long struggled in the face of authoritarianism, bolstered by monarchism, nationalism and ethnic chauvinism. The Economist, 24 May 2018 But a slave mentality remains deeply ingrained in Russian minds, along with a latent monarchism and paternalism. Nikita Petrov, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for monarchism
Noun
  • His grandfather, King Leopold III, also abdicated in 1951 amid a political crisis to safeguard the monarchy.
    Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 27 July 2026
  • This biennial event, focusing on these symbols of monarchy, will feature curators, historians, and gemologists from institutions like The Met and Rijksmuseum.
    Anthony DeMarco, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026
Noun
  • Extremists connected these claims to older ideas about government tyranny, social control and corrupt elites.
    Art Jipson, The Conversation, 30 July 2026
  • Indeed, by then, the hypnotic spell had been cast across all of Europe, including on those liberated from the drab tyrannies of actually existing socialism.
    Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026
Noun
  • None of Argentina’s players had been born when the country’s military dictatorship invaded the Malvinas in 1982, holding the islands for 73 days before British forces recaptured them in a war that killed 649 Argentine and 255 British troops.
    ABC News, ABC News, 31 July 2026
  • Because Iran is a theocratic dictatorship that routinely arrests and in some cases executes journalists, Western reporters hoping to cover the country must either work clandestinely or submit to government supervision.
    James Kirchick, The Atlantic, 29 July 2026

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“Monarchism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/monarchism. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

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