1
: a person who reigns over a kingdom or empire: such as
a
: a sovereign ruler
b
: a constitutional (see constitutional entry 1 sense 1) king or queen
2
: one that holds preeminent position or power
Cotton, monarch of the textile world …—
Wall Street Journal
Wall Street JournalSynonyms of monarch
Examples of monarch in a Sentence
a new history of French monarchs
the ruling monarch of Britain at that time was Queen Elizabeth I
Recent Examples on the Web
Learn about Hawaiian history at ‘Iolani Palace in Honolulu, the former royal residence of the last reigning monarchs of Hawaii.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 9 Feb. 2026
Last week, the British monarch forced his brother to vacate his longtime home at Royal Lodge near Windsor Castle.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 9 Feb. 2026
The controversy raises uncomfortable questions about Mette-Marit’s position within the clan, particularly given the advanced age of King Harald V, who at 88, is Europe’s oldest monarch.
—Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
On 8th February, the Queen made her various oaths and declarations as a new monarch at St James's Palace.
—Hope Coke, Vanity Fair, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for monarch
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.
Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 9 Feb. 2026
Last week, the British monarch forced his brother to vacate his longtime home at Royal Lodge near Windsor Castle.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 9 Feb. 2026
The controversy raises uncomfortable questions about Mette-Marit’s position within the clan, particularly given the advanced age of King Harald V, who at 88, is Europe’s oldest monarch.
—Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
On 8th February, the Queen made her various oaths and declarations as a new monarch at St James's Palace.
—Hope Coke, Vanity Fair, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for monarch
Cite this Entry
“Monarch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monarch. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
monarch
noun
mon·arch
ˈmän-ərk 
-ˌärk
1
: a person who reigns over a kingdom or empire: as
a
: a ruler who has total power
absolute monarch
b
: someone who acts primarily as chief of state and who has only limited powers
constitutional monarch
2
: someone or something like a monarch
the oak is the monarch of the forest
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
