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 political class devoted to maintaining Iran’s Shiite theocracy remains intact.
—
Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
Many women could be seen going about their day without wearing the theocracy’s mandatory head covering, the enforcement of which has eased in recent years.
—Bassem Mroue, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
By definition, regime change is systemic change – something that has yet to be seen in the Islamic Republic, which remains under the same authoritarian theocracy that has been in place since the Iranian Revolution in 1979.
—Lauren Kent, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2026
Trump’s motivation for entering the war has been scattered, mostly bouncing between overthrowing Iran’s totalitarian theocracy and eliminating the nation’s nuclear capability.
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for theocracy
Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
Many women could be seen going about their day without wearing the theocracy’s mandatory head covering, the enforcement of which has eased in recent years.
—Bassem Mroue, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
By definition, regime change is systemic change – something that has yet to be seen in the Islamic Republic, which remains under the same authoritarian theocracy that has been in place since the Iranian Revolution in 1979.
—Lauren Kent, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2026
Trump’s motivation for entering the war has been scattered, mostly bouncing between overthrowing Iran’s totalitarian theocracy and eliminating the nation’s nuclear capability.
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for theocracy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for theocracy
Noun
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In May, the royal family recovered somewhat in popularity, with 64% polled by Norstat supporting the monarchy and 23% wanting a different system of governance.—
Reuters,
CNN Money,
15 June 2026
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All this will rankle many, particularly young people, who are less likely to own their own homes and whose support for the monarchy is already in decline.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
14 June 2026
Noun
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Migration remains divisive issue Swiss democracy gives voters a direct say in policymaking through referendums typically held four times a year.—
Jamey Keaten,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
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The crowd was feeling good, if a bit sweaty — and a little in disbelief at the sight of a fighting ring next to one of the most hallowed symbols of American democracy.—
Liam Bowman,
Washington Post,
15 June 2026
Noun
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There is also a generalized suspicion of democracy, cities, modernization, progress, cultural relativism, and materialism in favor of monarchism, agrarianism, stasis, fantasies of good versus evil, and a traditionalism that at times borders on religious fundamentalism. ..—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
5 May 2026
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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
Noun
-
The autonomous territory of about 156,000 sits within the Netherlands kingdom and only became a FIFA member in 2011.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
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He was later driven into the kingdom.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 June 2026
Noun
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Public anger over Chun’s dictatorship led to massive nationwide protests in 1987, forcing him to accept a constitutional revision introducing direct presidential elections, which is widely seen as the start of South Korea’s transition to democracy.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 June 2026
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The trophy did not change any laws or soften the dictatorship’s grip on culture and society, but for 90 minutes at a time, none of that was the point.—
Julia Vargas Jones,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
Noun
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The suspect was a 36-year-old man who carried a passport belonging to the ex-Soviet republic of Georgia, Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said at a news conference in Warsaw.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 June 2026
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The humanities will survive not by defending an imagined past of disinterested purity, but by demonstrating their necessity in a fractured republic.—
The Atlantic,
The Atlantic,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Theocracy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/theocracy. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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