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
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Recent Examples of theocracy
The Iranian Revolution of 1979 transformed the country almost overnight into a fundamentalist theocracy.
—
Boris Kachka, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2026
The short answer is that Iran does not have any clear heir apparent, and that any transition away from the Islamic theocracy that has ruled for nearly 50 years is unlikely to be straightforward.
—Peter Nicholas, NBC news, 18 Jan. 2026
Khamenei presides over a vast power structure of officials who have much to lose from the fall of the theocracy.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 17 Jan. 2026
The status quo—an ossified theocracy presiding over a bankrupt economy and an aggrieved populace—has already proven unsustainable.
—Ali Vaez, Time, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for theocracy
Boris Kachka, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2026
The short answer is that Iran does not have any clear heir apparent, and that any transition away from the Islamic theocracy that has ruled for nearly 50 years is unlikely to be straightforward.
—Peter Nicholas, NBC news, 18 Jan. 2026
Khamenei presides over a vast power structure of officials who have much to lose from the fall of the theocracy.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 17 Jan. 2026
The status quo—an ossified theocracy presiding over a bankrupt economy and an aggrieved populace—has already proven unsustainable.
—Ali Vaez, Time, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for theocracy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for theocracy
Noun
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In the biggest scandal to rock Norway's monarchy, the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit goes on trial Tuesday accused of raping four women, as well as drug and assault offenses.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
30 Jan. 2026
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Sophie’s appearance in a Victoria Beckham design landed at a delicate moment for the former Spice Girl and her family, who maintain longstanding ties to the monarchy.—
Janine Henni,
PEOPLE,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Threat to democracy Bishop Anthony Taylor's recent Facebook post and its coverage in Wednesday's Arkansas Gazette-Democrat greatly impressed me.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
2 Feb. 2026
-
Every day augurs some new threat—to democracy, to decency.—
Maya Singer,
Vogue,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
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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
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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
Noun
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The move from the US payments giant comes two years after the kingdom brought in a rule that any company wanting to bid for government contracts would have to set up their regional headquarters in the kingdom.—
Mohammed Sergie,
semafor.com,
30 Jan. 2026
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That was the keys to the kingdom.—
DeAsia Paige,
AJC.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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If all goes to hell and America devolves into a rank dictatorship, beware the bootlicker.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
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Edner migrated from Haiti in the late 1960s to escape the Duvalier dictatorship and build a better life for his four daughters and three sons.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The health of our republic depends on refusing that premise now, before the vocabulary of authoritarianism becomes the common tongue of American politics, and before more names are added to the list.—
Andrew Weinstein,
Time,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Hamiltonians supported the construction of the Erie and Chesapeake & Ohio Canals in the early years of the republic, then shifted to railroads, and ultimately to interstate highways and airports.—
Walter Russell Mead,
The Atlantic,
24 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Theocracy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/theocracy. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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