theocracy

noun

the·​oc·​ra·​cy thē-ˈä-krə-sē How to pronounce theocracy (audio)
plural theocracies
1
: government of a state by immediate divine guidance or by officials who are regarded as divinely guided
2
: a state governed by a theocracy

Examples of theocracy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Iran launched a second round of missiles against Israel while Israel's military kept up attacks in Iran following earlier strikes that targeted nuclear and military sites and killed key leaders in the country's governing theocracy. Arkansas Online, 14 June 2025 The leader of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard was killed, Iranian state television reported, in a major body blow to Tehran’s governing theocracy and an immediate escalation of the nations’ long-simmering conflict. Jon Gambrell, Christian Science Monitor, 13 June 2025 Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale, based on the novel by Margaret Atwood, stars Elisabeth Moss as June Osborne, a woman enslaved as a Handmaid in an alternative America taken over by Gilead, a totalitarian theocracy. Barry Levitt, Time, 27 May 2025 After the 1979 Revolution, Iran’s theocracy expanded the gruesome compound, which includes gallows and an execution yard. Robin Wright, New Yorker, 26 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for theocracy

Word History

Etymology

Greek theokratia, from the- + -kratia -cracy

First Known Use

1622, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of theocracy was in 1622

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Theocracy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/theocracy. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

theocracy

noun
the·​oc·​ra·​cy thē-ˈäk-rə-sē How to pronounce theocracy (audio)
plural theocracies
1
: government of a country by officials believed to have divine guidance
2
: a country governed by a theocracy

More from Merriam-Webster on theocracy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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