1
as in clique
a small group of people who exercise control over a country, business, etc.
Critics complain that the government is now dominated by an oligarchy of wealthy businesspeople.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in empire
government that is controlled by a small group of people
The nation was an oligarchy with election results manipulated to maintain a permanent ruling class.
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 oligarchy
Instead, this administration plans to focus on consolidating power, enriching themselves, and rewarding billionaire donors like Musk, who exemplify the MAGA oligarchy.
—
Laura Rodriguez, Orlando Sentinel, 23 Jan. 2025
The other half feared a nation on the verge of fascism and, in now former President Joe Biden’s telling, a tech billionaire oligarchy.
—David Mastio, The Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2025
President Joe Biden’s historic farewell speech warned us: American democracy is dying because of Trump’s oligarchy.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 18 Jan. 2025
We’ve been warned for decades that America is or is becoming an oligarchy.
—Ezra Klein, The Mercury News, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oligarchy
Laura Rodriguez, Orlando Sentinel, 23 Jan. 2025
The other half feared a nation on the verge of fascism and, in now former President Joe Biden’s telling, a tech billionaire oligarchy.
—David Mastio, The Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2025
President Joe Biden’s historic farewell speech warned us: American democracy is dying because of Trump’s oligarchy.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 18 Jan. 2025
We’ve been warned for decades that America is or is becoming an oligarchy.
—Ezra Klein, The Mercury News, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oligarchy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oligarchy
Noun
-
Last year, Lohan, Chabert and Amanda Seyfried, who rounded out the Plastics clique as Karen Smith in the original movie, reprised their characters for a Walmart Black Friday ad.—
Jen Juneau,
People.com,
21 Nov. 2024
-
Written and directed by Alex Russell, Lurker follows retail employee Matthew (Pellerin), who infiltrates the clique of a rising musician, Oliver (Madekwe).—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
28 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
So, too, did anticolonial nationalists in the twentieth century conceive of their battles against Western empires in this way.—
Foreign Affairs,
Foreign Affairs,
25 Feb. 2025
-
Taiwan was clearly an outpost of American empire, but the U.S. presence was benevolent in certain ways.—
Jon Lee Anderson,
The New Yorker,
25 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Amid the political turmoil, Myanmar has become a cyber scam hotspot, where fraud, cybercrime, human trafficking, money laundering and corruption have flourished, often with the tacit consent of the junta, experts say.—
Kocha Olarn,
CNN,
5 Feb. 2025
-
The international community must step up quickly to bring an end to the junta's impunity.—
Justin Gest,
Newsweek,
20 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
The accusations, laid out in a 272-page indictment, suggest that Brazil came strikingly close to plunging back into, in effect, a military dictatorship nearly four decades into its modern democracy.—
Jack Nicas,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2025
-
Torres’ portrayal of Eunice Paiva, a mother who spent decades searching for justice after the disappearance of her husband during Brazil’s military dictatorship, has resonated with audiences and critics alike.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Oligarchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oligarchy. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share