monarchy
noun
mon·ar·chy
ˈmä-nər-kē 
also -ˌnär-
plural monarchies
1
: undivided rule or absolute sovereignty by a single person
Saudi Arabia is governed by a monarchy.
2
: a nation or state having a monarchical government
Britain is a monarchy.
3
: a government having a hereditary chief of state with life tenure and powers varying from nominal to absolute
The country's hereditary monarchy survived for centuries.
Examples of monarchy in a Sentence
the French monarchy of the 18th century
Recent Examples on the Web
Softbank sold the stake in 2023 for about $3 billion to Mubadala Investment, the $300 billion sovereign wealth fund of the United Arab Emirates — making this oil rich Islamic monarchy one of Senator Justice’s most important benefactors.
—
Christopher Helman, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
The drama follows King Edward II’s dangerous decision to elevate his lover Gaveston to a position of power, sparking a civil war that threatens to topple the monarchy.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Jan. 2025
The serene 13,000-square-foot property was commissioned in 1912 by the Austrian monarchy and was originally intended to be a tuberculosis sanatorium.
—Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 8 Jan. 2025
George Washington was fastidious about rejecting monarchy, restricting the power of the executive, and establishing the rule of law.
—Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for monarchy 
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.
Christopher Helman, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
The drama follows King Edward II’s dangerous decision to elevate his lover Gaveston to a position of power, sparking a civil war that threatens to topple the monarchy.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Jan. 2025
The serene 13,000-square-foot property was commissioned in 1912 by the Austrian monarchy and was originally intended to be a tuberculosis sanatorium.
—Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 8 Jan. 2025
George Washington was fastidious about rejecting monarchy, restricting the power of the executive, and establishing the rule of law.
—Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for monarchy
Articles Related to monarchy
Dictionary Entries Near monarchy
Cite this Entry
“Monarchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monarchy. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
monarchy
noun
mon·ar·chy
ˈmän-ər-kē
plural monarchies
1
: total rule by one person
2
: a nation or country ruled by a monarch
3
: a form of government having a chief of state who inherits the position, rules for life, and holds powers varying from very limited to total
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share