as in democracy
government in which the supreme power is held by the people and used by them directly or indirectly through representation when asked by a passerby what sort of government the constitutional convention had formulated for the new nation, Benjamin Franklin memorably replied, "A republic, if you can keep it"

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of republic In 1568, William I the Silent helped lead the Netherlands revolt against Spain until the Dutch republic was founded in 1588. Elise Taylor, Vogue, 28 Feb. 2025 As voters in a republic who are supposed exercise self-determination, that's on us. Matt Robison, Newsweek, 25 Feb. 2025 The Federalists dreamed of a commercial colossus rivaling the empires of Europe, whereas the Republicans imagined a simple, agrarian republic of yeoman farmers defended by citizen militias, with no need for a federal military academy. Ryan Shaw / Made By History, TIME, 24 Feb. 2025 Only countries with a much stronger social cohesion—Denmark, Sweden, Finland, to some extent the Baltic republics—demonstrated this. Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 21 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for republic

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Republic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/republic. Accessed 16 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on republic

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!