oligarch
noun
ol·i·garch
ˈä-lə-ˌgärk 
ˈō-
ˈō-
plural oligarchs
1
: a member or supporter of an oligarchy
2
in Russia and other countries that succeeded the Soviet Union
: one of a class of individuals who through private acquisition of state assets amassed great wealth that is stored especially in foreign accounts and properties and who typically maintain close links to the highest government circles
But what does it really mean to be a Russian oligarch … ? … in Russian politics, the term first came about in the 1990s to describe a dozen or so powerful men who amassed immense wealth following the collapse of the Soviet Union.—
The Business Insider
The Business InsiderThe task force will pool the resources of the countries' law enforcement divisions to track down the assets of Russian oligarchs stashed overseas, a difficult task complicated by the opaque or complicated financial instruments frequently used by Russian financial elites to hide their holdings from public view.—Jeff Stein
Jeff Stein… young Armenians, who joined the protests in droves, angry that the same small club of politicians and oligarchs has controlled the country since independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.—Neil Macfarquhar
Neil MacfarquharExamples of oligarch in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
With builds that start at $200,000 and climb over a half-million—plus the donor vehicle cost—this type of rolling luxury was reserved for Hollywood, hedge fund, or oligarch types.
—Sean Evans, Robb Report, 11 Mar. 2026
The documentary Hell’s Army, directed by Richard Rowley, examines the rise of this shadowy group led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, an ex-con turned oligarch who operated with the apparent blessing of Vladimir Putin – at least for a time.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 10 Mar. 2026
That job turned out to involve flying around the world in high style—often to places run by oligarchs, dictators, and fellow royals, on the basis that they would be flattered to deal with a prince.
—Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 19 Feb. 2026
Trump later flipped the house to a Russian oligarch for $95 million, yet insiders have said Epstein’s participation made the overpayment sting.
—Tara Palmeri, Vanity Fair, 12 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for oligarch
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Sean Evans, Robb Report, 11 Mar. 2026
The documentary Hell’s Army, directed by Richard Rowley, examines the rise of this shadowy group led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, an ex-con turned oligarch who operated with the apparent blessing of Vladimir Putin – at least for a time.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 10 Mar. 2026
That job turned out to involve flying around the world in high style—often to places run by oligarchs, dictators, and fellow royals, on the basis that they would be flattered to deal with a prince.
—Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 19 Feb. 2026
Trump later flipped the house to a Russian oligarch for $95 million, yet insiders have said Epstein’s participation made the overpayment sting.
—Tara Palmeri, Vanity Fair, 12 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for oligarch
Cite this Entry
“Oligarch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oligarch. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
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