oligarchy

noun

Definition of oligarchynext
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.

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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.

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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 Last year, Katz filmed a video of his new protégé shucking oysters, chopping wood, swinging kettlebells, and speaking directly to the camera in a muddy sweatshirt about how the oligarchy had screwed their beloved state. — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 6 July 2026 But these days, at one of Ukraine’s most prestigious universities, the likes of Pushkin, Chekhov, and Dostoyevsky have given way to such topics as Russian disinformation and propaganda, how its foreign intelligence operates, and understanding Russia’s elites and oligarchy. — Howard Lafranchi, Christian Science Monitor, 27 June 2026 After shares rallied to a peak of $225 on June 16, a stunning 50 percent rise over their opening price, Musk officially became the world’s very-first trillionaire — an obscene hyper-capitalist milestone highlighting the tech oligarchy’s iron grip on society. — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 24 June 2026 Breaking the hold of tech and financial oligarchies, including a ban on algorithmic wage-setting, ensures that AI does not become a tool for gutting the middle class. — Sarita Gupta, Time, 2 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for oligarchy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oligarchy
  1. clique
  2. empire
  3. junta
  4. dictatorship
Noun
  • That finale’s cliffhanger had left Snow’s Sophie cut out of the clique run by Åkerman’s Margo.
    — Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The level of fake, clique like high school drama is horrible.
    — Stephen Korka, Sun Sentinel, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of clique
Noun
  • The territories at various times have been part of the Russian and Ottoman empires, medieval Kievan Rus’ and earlier civilizations.
    — Catherine Belton, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Win McNamee | Getty Images Expanding reach Musk’s political spending extends well beyond the states where his business empire is concentrated.
    — Luke Fountain,Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of empire
Noun
  • The military junta has previously been accused of targeting dissidents by detaining human rights defenders and journalists.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • In May 2024, the junta launched a mandatory digital identification initiative, known as UID, to link an individual’s documents to their biometric data.
    — Andrew Nachemson, The Dial, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of junta
Noun
  • His raspy voice, his beard, his missing finger and the cadence of his speech have been fixtures of Brazilian public life since Brazil’s first direct presidential election after the dictatorship ended in 1985.
    — Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026
  • This strategy is unlikely to work on liberal Israelis, who view this election as the last chance to save their homeland from sliding into dictatorship.
    — Aluf Benn, Foreign Affairs, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of dictatorship

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Oligarchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oligarchy. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on oligarchy

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about oligarchy

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