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 level of fake, clique like high school drama is horrible.

— Stephen Korka, Sun Sentinel, 13 Oct. 2026
That is in part thanks to the opacity of AI technology but also because this clique is much smaller.

— Seva Gunitsky, Foreign Affairs, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of clique

Noun

The industrialist Vincent Bolloré has assembled a vast media empire that includes CNews, a Fox News-style channel that has become an important platform for the nationalist right.

— Nicholas Bequelin, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
Back at The Pynk, Uncle Clifford (Nicco Annan) dreams of expanding her empire while Roulette breaks the club’s cardinal rule to build hers.

— Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of empire

Noun

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
In July 2025, Washington lifted some sanctions against allies of the Myanmar junta and their businesses.

— Helen Regan, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of junta

Noun

The Iranian revolution, the North Korean dictatorship, the Palestinians held hostage by Hamas, the Lebanese held hostage by Hezbollah, the Taliban in Afganistan, The Chinese firewall, all of them share the same failure mode.

— Stephen Messer, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
Public executions are what oppressive dictatorships like Iran and Afghanistan do.

— Connor Greene, Time, 15 Oct. 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 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of oligarchy

noun

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