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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Recent Examples of monarchism
There is also a generalized suspicion of democracy, cities, modernization, progress, cultural relativism, and materialism in favor of monarchism, agrarianism, stasis, fantasies of good versus evil, and a traditionalism that at times borders on religious fundamentalism. ..
—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
5 May 2026
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
Now, Morocco and Jordan have toned down reformism and presented a new bottom line to their societies and the world: Ruling monarchism is here to stay.
—
Sean Yom,
Washington Post,
16 May 2017
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
5 May 2026
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
Now, Morocco and Jordan have toned down reformism and presented a new bottom line to their societies and the world: Ruling monarchism is here to stay.
—
Sean Yom,
Washington Post,
16 May 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for monarchism
Noun
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Against the odds, our founders defeated a monarchy and created what would become the richest, freest, and most powerful country the world has ever seen.
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The royals use the Palace of the Holyroodhouse, the monarchy's official residence in Edinburgh, as their base of operations during this time, and the celebrations always start with the monarch symbolically receiving the keys to the city.
Noun
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For every Founding Father looking to free the colonies from British tyranny, there was a Larry (often called Lawrence here) who suggests that sharing desserts and umbrellas should be prohibited by the Declaration of Independence.
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In Shiite communities, Ashoura is viewed as a symbol of struggle against injustice and tyranny.
Noun
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Building tension gave way to war in 1982, when Argentina, then under a brutal dictatorship, sent a military expedition to the islands.
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Public anger over Chun’s dictatorship led to massive nationwide protests in 1987, forcing him to accept a constitutional revision introducing direct presidential elections, which is widely seen as the start of South Korea’s transition to democracy.
Cite this Entry
“Monarchism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/monarchism. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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