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
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Recent Examples of monarchy
In 2025, the monarchy weathered one of its most headline-grabbing years yet, as King Charles III continued treatment for his undisclosed form of cancer.
—
Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 26 Dec. 2025
Through it all, Kate and William balanced expanding royal duties with school runs and family life, even as illness still shadows the monarchy.
—Simon Perry, PEOPLE, 19 Dec. 2025
In Pilkington’s conjuring, liberalism was a potent ideology that arose against monarchy and aristocracy and sought to rationalize social and political relationships.
—Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
The original Free Officers ousted King Farouk and went on to abolish the monarchy and end British influence in Egypt.
—Jonathan Powell, The Conversation, 15 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for monarchy
Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 26 Dec. 2025
Through it all, Kate and William balanced expanding royal duties with school runs and family life, even as illness still shadows the monarchy.
—Simon Perry, PEOPLE, 19 Dec. 2025
In Pilkington’s conjuring, liberalism was a potent ideology that arose against monarchy and aristocracy and sought to rationalize social and political relationships.
—Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
The original Free Officers ousted King Farouk and went on to abolish the monarchy and end British influence in Egypt.
—Jonathan Powell, The Conversation, 15 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for monarchy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for monarchy
Noun
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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
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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
Noun
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During his 10 years in town, the Haitian-American scholar and civic leader — based at the LBJ School for Public Affairs — has written book after clarifying book on the intersection of race and democracy.—
Austin American Statesman,
Austin American Statesman,
12 Jan. 2026
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Rubio sat on the board of the International Republican Institute, which provided training to fledgling democracies, teaching candidates how to campaign and poll watchers how to observe elections.—
Dexter Filkins,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The revolutionaries and the representatives of the old republic (all of them, it should be said, canny political operatives of various vintages) get along quite well on the ground.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
12 Jan. 2026
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The unrest comes as the Islamic republic has been increasingly vulnerable with leaders facing mounting internal and domestic strains and a population growing angrier over a deepening economic crisis.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
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His socialist dictatorship, hostile to human life, crushed Venezuelans’ freedoms for years.—
Agustina Vergara Cid,
Oc Register,
7 Jan. 2026
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One of his uncles had been part of the resistance to the right-wing military dictatorship that controlled Greece between 1967 and 1974.—
Naaman Zhou,
New Yorker,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Harry is due to attend the court proceedings, but this trip will not include a meeting with his father, King Charles III, as the sovereign will be in Scotland at the time.—
Séraphine Roger,
Vanity Fair,
12 Jan. 2026
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The speech, however, is not actually written by the sovereign, but rather by the government.—
Emma Banks,
InStyle,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Over the past few years, the kingdom has been one of the most active markets for stock offerings, driven by sales of shares in the state oil giant Saudi Aramco and holdings of its sovereign wealth fund.—
Matthew Martin,
semafor.com,
7 Jan. 2026
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The island is a self-governing territory of the kingdom of Denmark and thus part of the NATO military alliance.—
Regina Garcia Cano,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Approximately 150 mullets went to battle in the great state of Pennsylvania, with a 10-year-old child ultimately prevailing as the ultimate champion of a wild mullet contest in the heart of the commonwealth.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Jan. 2026
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Here's a look at which commonwealth locations made the cut.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Indeed, this tragedy reflects the deep strain being felt in countless communities across our nation.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
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Illinois passed a first-in-the-nation law addressing this issue in 2024, and both red and blue states are exploring similar solutions.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Monarchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/monarchy. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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