banana republic

noun

plural banana republics

disparaging + often offensive

: a country that is exploited by foreign interests for profit and whose economy typically depends on a single major export (such as bananas)

also : a country ruled by a despot usually backed by the military

Note: The term banana republic was originally used in reference to Central and South American countries that were exploited by U.S. corporations beginning in the late 19th century for the cultivation and export of bananas.

Examples of banana republic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

What happens if corrupt politicians and powerful judges permanently change America into a banana republic or a police state? —San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2022

But while the verdict was right in this case, another line has been crossed against the rule of law by political opportunists, which makes our country continue to look ever more like a banana republic. —Star Tribune, 21 Apr. 2021

No aspersions intended toward an ex-East Bloc prison house or a former banana republic, but that's really embarrassing for Abraham Lincoln's last best hope. —Star Tribune, 28 Mar. 2021

Clearly, creating an effective blanket immunity for those powerful enough to run for president is truly the stuff of banana republics. —Luke Thompson, National Review, 29 Sep. 2019

If this is a banana republic with a few very, very rich people and everyone else living in misery, that’s a failure. —Casey Tolan, The Mercury News, 9 July 2019

Word History

First Known Use

1899, in the meaning defined above