1
as in clique
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 empire
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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Recent Examples of oligarchy
In Du Bois’s telling, this was a national bargain; together, northern capital and southern oligarchy aligned to sacrifice Black citizenship for economic consolidation.
—
Zephyr Teachout, The Atlantic, 22 Sep. 2025
Osborn, a union man unafraid of confronting oligarchy, will once again campaign as an independent in next year’s senatorial race in Nebraska, hoping to unseat the billionaire incumbent, Pete Ricketts.
—Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
The American people do not want oligarchy, authoritarianism or attacks on Social Security, Medicaid or the VA.
—Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
In recent years, aided by his son, Sam (CEO of Dropout), the 79-year-old has developed an impressive social media following, warning of the perils of an unfettered oligarchy and rampant inequality.
—Stuart Miller, Oc Register, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oligarchy
Zephyr Teachout, The Atlantic, 22 Sep. 2025
Osborn, a union man unafraid of confronting oligarchy, will once again campaign as an independent in next year’s senatorial race in Nebraska, hoping to unseat the billionaire incumbent, Pete Ricketts.
—Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
The American people do not want oligarchy, authoritarianism or attacks on Social Security, Medicaid or the VA.
—Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
In recent years, aided by his son, Sam (CEO of Dropout), the 79-year-old has developed an impressive social media following, warning of the perils of an unfettered oligarchy and rampant inequality.
—Stuart Miller, Oc Register, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oligarchy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oligarchy
Noun
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In that worldview, what mattered was the welfare of the governed, not of the governing clique.—
Andreas Kluth,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
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And the Thom Browne clique has become thee group to go to the Met Gala with.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Its youth program is widely regarded as among the best in the state, the backbone of a grappling empire.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
22 Feb. 2026
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The overall result is a series of spaces that explore themes rooted in ecclesiastical pageantry, and the power that’s conveyed through the clothing and visual arts of a monarch or empire.—
Laurie Brookins,
Travel + Leisure,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Activities by political parties have long been suspended in the country under the junta.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Jan. 2026
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The dissidence of Minneapolis reminds me of the Argentinian mothers who found themselves in an impossible situation during the military junta of the late 1970s.—
Gal Beckerman,
The Atlantic,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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And perhaps most important, by empowering Congress, not the president, to remedy deficient state electoral schemes, the Constitution prevents presidents from rewriting the election code by executive fiat and thus provides an additional safeguard against military dictatorship.—
Jeffrey Rosen,
The Atlantic,
16 Feb. 2026
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In this country, unlike in dictatorships, people expect to be able to identify law enforcement officers by sight and by badge number.—
William Robiner,
Twin Cities,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Oligarchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oligarchy. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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