theocracy

noun

Definition of theocracynext
1
as in monarchy
a system of government in which a religious body holds unlimited power Under a theocracy, an entire nation officially follows one religion.

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2
as in democracy
a group of people who live in a territory ruled by a religious body The country was a theocracy governed by religious leaders.

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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 theocracy That may get worse, as the IRGC has taken the leading role in the Shia theocracy. — Ariel Cohen, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026 Daisy, who grew up beyond the reaches of theocracy and maybe even religion, seems to understand this profoundly and instinctively. — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 27 May 2026 The newly elevated leaders, including Ghalibaf, owe their power to the same authoritarian theocracy that sustained the Ayatollah’s regime. — Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 16 Apr. 2026 While The Testaments, too, is set within the separate women’s sphere of this hyperpatriarchal theocracy, its main characters sit at the top of that class system. — Judy Berman, Time, 8 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for theocracy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for theocracy
  1. monarchy
  2. democracy
  3. monarchism
  4. kingdom
  5. dictatorship
  6. republic
Noun
  • In fact, this monarchy-shaking scandal is the reason William and Harry’s grandmother Queen Elizabeth was able to become the longest-reigning British monarch.
    — Diana Pearl, PEOPLE, 31 July 2026
  • Only the second time a member of the British monarchy has married an American, the union was met with manic fanfare on both sides of the pond.
    — Edward Segarra, USA Today, 29 July 2026
Definition of monarchy
Noun
  • To safeguard against these abuses of power, democracies like the UK and US have hearings, committees, and other measures to hold their intelligence bodies accountable, said Shetler-Jones.
    — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
  • Organizations and officials across the continent have vied to find a balance between respecting freedom of speech and protecting their democracies, including the Venice Biennale’s controversial decision to allow Russia to participate.
    — Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 30 July 2026
Definition of democracy
Noun
  • But for anyone outside the British elite, the constitutional monarchism that emerged after the civil wars did not look much like democracy or true liberty.
    — Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 20 Aug. 2024
  • And the Decemberists tried to overthrow the Tsar and insist on having some of the more basic aspects of representative constitutional monarchism introduced into Russia.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 7 Dec. 2022
Definition of monarchism
Noun
  • The Saudis, according to the person briefed on the substance of the call but not authorized to comment publicly, are concerned that Tehran could respond with attacks on the energy infrastructure of the kingdom and other Gulf countries.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Throughout the war between Iran, the US and Israel, the Saudi kingdom had kept open channels of communication with Tehran.
    — Salma Arafa, CNN Money, 30 July 2026
Definition of kingdom
Noun
  • None of Argentina’s players had been born when the country’s military dictatorship invaded the Malvinas in 1982, holding the islands for 73 days before British forces recaptured them in a war that killed 649 Argentine and 255 British troops.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 31 July 2026
  • Because Iran is a theocratic dictatorship that routinely arrests and in some cases executes journalists, Western reporters hoping to cover the country must either work clandestinely or submit to government supervision.
    — James Kirchick, The Atlantic, 29 July 2026
Definition of dictatorship
Noun
  • The tiny coral limestone atoll was colonized by Germany and later administered by Australia before becoming an independent republic in 1968.
    — Charlotte Graham-McLay, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026
  • She’s seen this show before, in the 1980s, back in Slovenia, her home republic then within the socialist federation of Yugoslavia, as nationalism relentlessly championed differences over commonality and force over dialogue.
    — Matt Thompson, SPIN, 31 July 2026
Definition of republic

Browse Nearby Words

theocracies
theocracy
theologies
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Cite this Entry

“Theocracy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/theocracy. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on theocracy

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about theocracy

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