oligarchies

noun

plural of oligarchy
1
as in cliques
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 empires
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Recent Examples of oligarchies Moreover, most Americans maintained the outdated notion that oligarchies couldn’t exist in nations that were at least nominally democratic. — Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 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 The open-source software movement, partly a political project to protect the freedom to tinker and prevent corporate oligarchies from stifling innovation, would become a cornerstone of the technology industry. — Jonathan Weber, Fortune, 19 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oligarchies
  1. cliques
  2. empires
  3. juntas
  4. monarchies
Noun
  • So the players will get a day off to cool down but have to spend the night at the pub quiz in teams of Ted’s choosing, never mind the 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 cliques
Noun
  • Three years ago, FSU was undefeated, Travis was its heartbeat and Norvell appeared to have resurrected one of college football’s great empires.
    — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Aug. 2026
  • These luxury houses increasingly resemble sports franchises, with star designers traded, poached, and recruited across warring corporate empires.
    — Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of empires
Noun
  • The intervention underscores Russia’s new role as protector of military regimes across the Sahel, where Africa Corps has replaced Wagner and prioritizes keeping juntas in power over battling insurgent groups.
    — Chinedu Asadu, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The military authorities have struggled to contain deadly jihadi violence that has battered parts of Africa’s Sahel region, including Niger's neighbors Burkina Faso and Mali that are also run by military juntas.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of juntas
Noun
  • The Belgian and Dutch monarchies seem to share a warm bond as well as a border, and Queen Mathilde and Queen Máxima are known to be friends.
    — Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 24 June 2026
  • Even the Gulf monarchies who’ve made their fortunes on oil and gas exports have come around to the idea that this is not a sustainable strategy, yet Trump won’t hear it.
    — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 17 June 2026
Definition of monarchies

Browse Nearby Words

oleaginous
oligarchies
oligarchy
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Cite this Entry

“Oligarchies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oligarchies. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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