as in dominion
controlling power or influence over others
a nation whose economic imperium waned after the war
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 imperium
Nintendo has built a reputation on its willingness to catch fans off-guard, and a shutterbug adventure was the last thing anyone expected at the zenith of Pokemon’s imperium.
—
Luke Winkie, Vulture, 18 June 2025
But our failure to anticipate this most recent spark of dissent is perhaps more understandable; after all, as Xi’s one-party Leninist imperium has gathered momentum, most foreign journalists have been expelled from China.
—Orville Schell, Foreign Affairs, 5 Dec. 2022
Even the Commonwealth—long a convenient way to sustain a more symbolic form of cultural imperium—has lost much of its meaning.
—Fintan O’Toole, Foreign Affairs, 21 Feb. 2023
Playing that particular Neil Young tune to represent the American imperium was an insidious selection.
—Armond White, National Review, 17 May 2024
Poland, through a protest movement, led the liberation of Europe from the Soviet imperium, culminating with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.
—Roger Cohen, New York Times, 5 May 2024
But unlike the familiar realm of the Caesars, this imperium doesn’t govern only humans: Talking beasts also live as citizens in the empire.
—Liz Braswell, WSJ, 29 Sep. 2023
Many people in what was formerly East Germany, part of the Soviet imperium until shortly before German unification in 1990, look favorably on Moscow.
—Roger Cohen, New York Times, 28 Aug. 2023
Firstly, the struggle of Czech writers (within a German-speaking imperium) to transform their little vernacular into a language of literary distinction.
—Jared Marcel Pollen, The New Republic, 12 July 2023
Luke Winkie, Vulture, 18 June 2025
But our failure to anticipate this most recent spark of dissent is perhaps more understandable; after all, as Xi’s one-party Leninist imperium has gathered momentum, most foreign journalists have been expelled from China.
—Orville Schell, Foreign Affairs, 5 Dec. 2022
Even the Commonwealth—long a convenient way to sustain a more symbolic form of cultural imperium—has lost much of its meaning.
—Fintan O’Toole, Foreign Affairs, 21 Feb. 2023
Playing that particular Neil Young tune to represent the American imperium was an insidious selection.
—Armond White, National Review, 17 May 2024
Poland, through a protest movement, led the liberation of Europe from the Soviet imperium, culminating with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.
—Roger Cohen, New York Times, 5 May 2024
But unlike the familiar realm of the Caesars, this imperium doesn’t govern only humans: Talking beasts also live as citizens in the empire.
—Liz Braswell, WSJ, 29 Sep. 2023
Many people in what was formerly East Germany, part of the Soviet imperium until shortly before German unification in 1990, look favorably on Moscow.
—Roger Cohen, New York Times, 28 Aug. 2023
Firstly, the struggle of Czech writers (within a German-speaking imperium) to transform their little vernacular into a language of literary distinction.
—Jared Marcel Pollen, The New Republic, 12 July 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imperium
Noun
-
It’s set in an empty warehouse loft, with light shooting through propeller fans (very Adrian Lyne), and with Miley, in her primal assertion of feminine dominion, joined by Naomi Campbell, the two of them obliterating the need for anyone else.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
7 June 2025
-
Her Miami appearance echoed many familiar themes, preaching about God’s dominion and transforming American values and culture.—
Lauren Costantino,
Miami Herald,
6 June 2025
Noun
-
His administration approached leadership not as domination but as facilitation.—
Benjamin Laker,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2025
-
The group’s No. 1 run began in July 2019, when Del Barrio Hasta Aquí debuted at the summit, becoming its longest-leading set to date, with an 18-week domination.—
Griselda Flores,
Billboard,
17 June 2025
Noun
-
That group achieved little in Paris other than extending the club’s domestic dominance.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
15 June 2025
-
The veteran forward has been a cornerstone of Bayern's dominance for more than a decade and a half.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 June 2025
Noun
-
Smart investors are watching for clues: insider buying, activist stake-building, tighter segment disclosure, JV chatter, and the sudden alignment of political and industrial interests around domestic chip sovereignty.—
Jim Osman,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2025
-
With the Self-Government Act of 2009, Greenlanders became a separate people under international law, acquiring internal autonomy under Danish sovereignty.—
Morten Høi Jensen,
The Dial,
19 June 2025
Noun
-
Ceding any hopes of air supremacy, Tehran relies on an advanced air defense array and an extensive ballistic missile arsenal.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
16 June 2025
-
The most powerful tech giants in the world have spent the last several years trying to out-jockey each other for AI supremacy.—
Richard Nieva,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Imperium.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imperium. Accessed 26 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share