1
as in cliques
a small group of people who exercise control over a country, business, etc.
Critics complain that the government is now dominated by an oligarchy of wealthy businesspeople.
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2
as in empires
government that is controlled by a small group of people
The nation was an oligarchy with election results manipulated to maintain a permanent ruling class.
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oligarchies
Noun
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These internal cliques, or deputy gangs, which have been tied to specific LASD precincts, have names like the Banditos, the Grim Reapers, and the Regulators.—
Jesse Hyde,
Rolling Stone,
21 Oct. 2025 -
At the Dallas Street property, small cliques of armed men, mostly Venezuelans and Mexicans, fought an ongoing turf war.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In the 1950s, this was not the US but the dying empires of Britain and France, which had dominated the Middle East for the first half of the century.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
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The most gifted preachers transformed that aura into spiritual empires, drawing thousands to megachurches, filling television airwaves and sometimes amassing personal fortunes.—
Mike Hixenbaugh,
NBC news,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In at least three Sahel states — Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso — military juntas that came to power in coups, notably Niger and Mali, have expelled Western military forces.—
Paul Tilsley,
FOXNews.com,
19 Oct. 2025
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Kuti was an outspoken critic of Nigeria’s military juntas in the 1970s.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
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No more communism, or fascism; no more theocracy, or monarchies.—
Richard Stengel,
Time,
1 Oct. 2025
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America’s most steadfast allies in this bit of the 21st century are the Gulf monarchies, true and unapologetic kingdoms big on pomp and light on participation.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
29 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Oligarchies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oligarchies. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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