monarchy

noun

Definition of monarchynext
1
as in monarchism
a system of government in which there is only one ruler whose power is unlimited Under a monarchy, the position of ruler is often passed down from parent to child.

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2
as in democracy
a group of people who live in a territory ruled by a single person The country was formerly a monarchy, but has now transitioned to a republic.

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Example Sentences

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 monarchy When Meghan married into the British monarchy, so did her mother. — Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 15 July 2026 It’s celebrated on July 14 because that’s the day Parisians stormed the Bastille fortress and prison in 1789, helping spark the French Revolution that overthrew the monarchy and sent King Louis XVI and his queen Marie-Antoinette to the guillotine. — ABC News, 14 July 2026 Japan’s monarchy has for centuries maintained male-only succession, which is on-brand for a deeply patriarchal society where men dominate other spheres of life such as business and politics. — Hanako Montgomery, CNN Money, 14 July 2026 It’s celebrated on July 14 because that’s the day Parisians stormed the Bastille fortress and prison in 1789, helping spark the French Revolution that overthrew the monarchy and sent King Louis XVI and his queen, Marie Antoinette, to the guillotine. — Eva Van Dam, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for monarchy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for monarchy
  1. monarchism
  2. democracy
  3. republic
  4. dictatorship
  5. sovereign
  6. kingdom
  7. commonwealth
  8. nation
Noun
  • 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, CBS News, 7 Dec. 2022
Definition of monarchism
Noun
  • To safeguard against these abuses of power, democracies like the UK and US have hearings, committees, and other measures to hold their intelligence bodies accountable, said Shetler-Jones.
    — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
  • Organizations and officials across the continent have vied to find a balance between respecting freedom of speech and protecting their democracies, including the Venice Biennale’s controversial decision to allow Russia to participate.
    — Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 30 July 2026
Definition of democracy
Noun
  • Like our democratic republic itself, these efforts are decentralized — local, pragmatic, and responsive to what communities actually need.
    — Brendan Bechtel, Fortune, 25 July 2026
  • Early diplomatic ties India gained independence from Britain in 1947 and became a republic in 1950.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 July 2026
Definition of republic
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
Definition of dictatorship
Noun
  • As one of the big three ratings agencies, alongside Fitch and Moody’s, S&P Global plays a crucial role in determining whether African sovereigns and businesses can secure capital from international financial markets.
    — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 29 July 2026
  • While the Royal Standard is never lowered to half-mast—the reason being that there is always a sovereign on the throne—the Union Jack can be lowered to half-staff, which is exactly what happened to honor Diana.
    — Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 28 July 2026
Definition of sovereign
Noun
  • The Saudis, according to the person briefed on the substance of the call but not authorized to comment publicly, are concerned that Tehran could respond with attacks on the energy infrastructure of the kingdom and other Gulf countries.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Throughout the war between Iran, the US and Israel, the Saudi kingdom had kept open channels of communication with Tehran.
    — Salma Arafa, CNN Money, 30 July 2026
Definition of kingdom
Noun
  • Ahead of the trial, the commonwealth also filed a motion to admit audio recordings of the 911 call Patrick Clancy made after returning home and discovering his family.
    — Chelsea Bailey, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
  • But Spanberger remains determined in her mission to deliver a more affordable commonwealth to Virginians, touting her signing of the Affordable Virginia Agenda into law in a Friday statement.
    — Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 17 July 2026
Definition of commonwealth
Noun
  • All artists that were involved in the event experience gains on charts in several nations, including the United States, as well as on Billboard’s global rosters.
    — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Every nation has the right and responsibility to secure its borders.
    — Ray Watford, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of nation

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Cite this Entry

“Monarchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/monarchy. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on monarchy

Nglish: Translation of monarchy for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about monarchy

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