Thesaurus results for OLIGARCHY

oligarchy

noun

Definition of oligarchy

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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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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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

Noun

The players air their grievances, which are essentially a pile of petty conflicts and resentments that, as Alice warned, can be traced back to the team fracturing into cliques.

— Keith Phipps, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2026
Amid the crushes, cliques, and teenage angst, two sisters set out to define themselves on their own terms.

— Denise Petski, Deadline, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of clique

Noun

In 2021, the SAF and RSF worked together to overthrow the civilian Cabinet that was overseeing Sudan’s transition to democracy after 30 years of dictatorship under Omar al-Bashir.

— Mat Nashed, Christian Science Monitor, 27 Aug. 2026
Not by tightening the siege on Iran directly, but by tightening the siege on those who help this regime, this terrible dictatorship.

— Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of dictatorship

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oligarchy

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“Oligarchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oligarchy. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of oligarchy

noun

Example Sentences

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