1
as in monarchy
a system of government in which a religious body holds unlimited power
Under a theocracy, an entire nation officially follows one religion.
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in democracy
a group of people who live in a territory ruled by a religious body
The country was a theocracy governed by religious leaders.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of theocracy
At one level, Sudan is yet another proxy conflict between the Middle East’s squabbling theocracies, with Qatar and Iran major backers of the SAF.
—
Charlie Campbell / Dubai, TIME, 29 Nov. 2024
Protests over women’s rights, the economy and Iran’s theocracy in recent years have shaken its government.
—Christopher Bodeen, Chicago Tribune, 14 Mar. 2025
That pressure, coupled with internal turmoil in Iran and recent direct attacks by Israel, has put Tehran in one of the most precarious positions its theocracy has faced since its 1979 Islamic Revolution.
—arkansasonline.com, 13 Mar. 2025
However, factions within Iran’s theocracy are still likely to oppose talks, whether out of their own self interest or over anger that Trump ordered the 2020 drone strike that killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the country’s top general and a revered figure.
—Nasser Karimi, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for theocracy
Charlie Campbell / Dubai, TIME, 29 Nov. 2024
Protests over women’s rights, the economy and Iran’s theocracy in recent years have shaken its government.
—Christopher Bodeen, Chicago Tribune, 14 Mar. 2025
That pressure, coupled with internal turmoil in Iran and recent direct attacks by Israel, has put Tehran in one of the most precarious positions its theocracy has faced since its 1979 Islamic Revolution.
—arkansasonline.com, 13 Mar. 2025
However, factions within Iran’s theocracy are still likely to oppose talks, whether out of their own self interest or over anger that Trump ordered the 2020 drone strike that killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the country’s top general and a revered figure.
—Nasser Karimi, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for theocracy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for theocracy
Noun
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Some of Harry's arguments against the royals relate to King Charles' long-standing desire to reduce the monarchy.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2025
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The city’s residents tired of D’Annunzio’s reckless rule, and his bellicose posturing and expansionist maneuvers discomfited the Italian monarchy.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
1 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Separately on Friday, Canada's government announced sanctions against eight senior officials in Venezuela's government, citing human rights violations and undermining democracy.—
Vivian Sequera,
USA TODAY,
22 Mar. 2025
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These guardrails have allowed America to birth the strongest democracy in the world.—
Gary Franks,
Hartford Courant,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
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But a slave mentality remains deeply ingrained in Russian minds, along with a latent monarchism and paternalism.—
Nikita Petrov,
Foreign Affairs,
12 Dec. 2017
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But for anyone outside the British elite, the constitutional monarchism that emerged after the civil wars did not look much like democracy or true liberty.—
Andrew Cockburn,
Harper's Magazine,
20 Aug. 2024
Noun
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Some franchise will hand her the keys to its kingdom.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
4 Apr. 2025
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The kingdom has been roundly criticized for its repressive treatment of women, who only gained the right to drive in 2018.—
Blythe Lawrence,
Forbes.com,
2 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The oligarchs in Hungary and Russia support the dictatorship with their monetary gains in return for being allowed to remain billionaires.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
4 Apr. 2025
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The biographical drama is inspired by the lives of Brazilian activist Eunice Paiva and her politician husband Rubens, who was murdered for his dissidence toward the military dictatorship of 1970s Brazil.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Undermining our judicial branch’s authority is a direct threat to the core of our republic — three co-equal branches of government working in tandem to preserve American’s life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.—
The Denver Post Editorial Board,
The Denver Post,
19 Mar. 2025
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In the 1990s, for instance, Russian President Boris Yeltsin used economic coercion to secure concessions from Central Asian and Caucasian republics that wanted to retain close links to Moscow.—
Nicholas Mulder,
Foreign Affairs,
6 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Theocracy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/theocracy. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.
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