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.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words
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.

Related Words

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 Japan’s Parliament voted Friday to enshrine male-only succession for the imperial throne, part of a monarchy that traces its origins back roughly 1,500 years. — James Cirrone, FOXNews.com, 17 July 2026 In the years that followed, the monarchy’s presence in soccer was primarily ensured by other members of the royal family. — Stefania Conrieri, Vanity Fair, 15 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
  • His ideology was shaped by a combination of conservative principles, a belief in democracy and a commitment to defending freedom and liberty.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • As with all things in a loud, messy, pluralistic democracy, public opinion plays a role here too—and Americans are clearly ready for action.
    — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of democracy
Noun
  • The tiny coral limestone atoll was colonized by Germany and later administered by Australia before becoming an independent republic in 1968.
    — Charlotte Graham-McLay, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026
  • She’s seen this show before, in the 1980s, back in Slovenia, her home republic then within the socialist federation of Yugoslavia, as nationalism relentlessly championed differences over commonality and force over dialogue.
    — Matt Thompson, SPIN, 31 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
  • According to the nonprofit Pennsylvania Head Start Association, the program serves more than 30,000 children in more than 800 classrooms and home visitation by nearly 10,000 staff in the commonwealth.
    — Lauren Linder, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The organization coordinated organ donations for nearly 7 million people, covering the entire commonwealth of Kentucky as well as counties in southern Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 5 Aug. 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

Browse Nearby Words

monarchs
monarchy
monasteries
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Monarchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/monarchy. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on monarchy

Nglish: Translation of monarchy for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about monarchy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of invidious

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All