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
The reactionary blogger’s call for a monarch to rule the country once seemed like a joke.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 20 May 2026
Photos from the rainy Buckingham Palace gathering — complete with umbrellas and overcast skies — further echoed familiar scenes from the late monarch’s reign.
—Paloma Chavez, PEOPLE, 19 May 2026
Iolani Palace tells the dramatic story of Hawaii’s last monarchs and the fall of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
—Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 18 May 2026
Also in the chest were the Earl and Countess’ coronets, small crowns worn by the nobility for the ceremonial occasion of a monarch’s ascension to their throne, which are shaped to include decorative elements which indicate the rank of the peer wearing them.
—Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for monarch
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The New Yorker, New Yorker, 20 May 2026
Photos from the rainy Buckingham Palace gathering — complete with umbrellas and overcast skies — further echoed familiar scenes from the late monarch’s reign.
—Paloma Chavez, PEOPLE, 19 May 2026
Iolani Palace tells the dramatic story of Hawaii’s last monarchs and the fall of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
—Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 18 May 2026
Also in the chest were the Earl and Countess’ coronets, small crowns worn by the nobility for the ceremonial occasion of a monarch’s ascension to their throne, which are shaped to include decorative elements which indicate the rank of the peer wearing them.
—Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes.com, 15 May 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 24 May. 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
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