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.
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Iran’s theocracy has responded by dialing back hijab enforcement and easing restrictions on at least one political figure.
—
Nasser Karimi and Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2025
Iran's theocracy has responded by broadly dialing back hijab enforcement and easing restrictions on at least one political figure.
—Arkansas Online, 5 Apr. 2025
Margaret Atwood’s dystopian allegorical novel didn’t over-explain the U.S.’ descent into fascist theocracy and thus left itself open to interpretation — so open that even American conservatives were able to claim it as a warning about Muslim fundamentalism.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 3 Apr. 2025
The Doom Slayer was a slave to capitalism in Doom (2016), the soft reboot that revived the franchise, and his now-origins as a slave to a religious theocracy sounds like something that could be cool as hell to explore.
—Kazuma Hashimoto, Rolling Stone, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for theocracy
Nasser Karimi and Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2025
Iran's theocracy has responded by broadly dialing back hijab enforcement and easing restrictions on at least one political figure.
—Arkansas Online, 5 Apr. 2025
Margaret Atwood’s dystopian allegorical novel didn’t over-explain the U.S.’ descent into fascist theocracy and thus left itself open to interpretation — so open that even American conservatives were able to claim it as a warning about Muslim fundamentalism.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 3 Apr. 2025
The Doom Slayer was a slave to capitalism in Doom (2016), the soft reboot that revived the franchise, and his now-origins as a slave to a religious theocracy sounds like something that could be cool as hell to explore.
—Kazuma Hashimoto, Rolling Stone, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for theocracy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for theocracy
Noun
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Canadians are largely indifferent to the monarchy, but Carney has been eager to show the differences between Canada and the United States.—
Rob Gillies,
Los Angeles Times,
27 May 2025
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Most Canadians have apathetic, if not negative, feelings about the monarchy, an institution that seems increasingly distant as the country’s cultural links to Great Britain grow weaker.—
Stephen Maher,
Time,
27 May 2025
Noun
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Liora Petter-Lipstein has a bachelor’s degree in public policy from the University of Maryland and is focused on increasing civic engagement and strengthening democracy.—
Shanna Pearson-Merkowitz,
Baltimore Sun,
5 June 2025
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The democratic values of the oldest and largest democracy in the world will come to the fore.—
Paresh Sagar,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
Noun
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But a slave mentality remains deeply ingrained in Russian minds, along with a latent monarchism and paternalism.—
Nikita Petrov,
Foreign Affairs,
12 Dec. 2017
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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
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Powerless is set in the kingdom of Ilya where the Elites reign supreme with their breathtaking powers—and hunt those without.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
5 June 2025
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Furthermore, following President Trump’s recent visit, Saudi Arabian officials suggested that Tesla’s robotaxis could be introduced in the kingdom.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
Noun
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Miami Dade College also owns the Freedom Tower, an iconic building that once welcomed Cubans fleeing the Fidel Castro dictatorship.—
Douglas Hanks,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 June 2025
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The order bars entry for most applicants seeking tourist, student and business visas, further narrowing the few remaining legal pathways for families torn apart by dictatorship, displacement and economic collapse.—
Verónica Egui Brito,
Miami Herald,
5 June 2025
Noun
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In our country, a democratic republic, our presidents govern, which means to manage and to administer under a set of laws, a constitution, sharing power with legislature and justice departments.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 May 2025
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One is entrenched in Gilead, while the other resides with Mayday operatives helping to smuggle women out of the republic.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
28 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Theocracy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/theocracy. Accessed 14 Jun. 2025.
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