monarchy
noun
mon·ar·chy
ˈmä-nər-kē 
also -ˌnär-
plural monarchies
1
: undivided rule or absolute sovereignty by a single person
Saudi Arabia is governed by a monarchy.
2
: a nation or state having a monarchical government
Britain is a monarchy.
3
: a government having a hereditary chief of state with life tenure and powers varying from nominal to absolute
The country's hereditary monarchy survived for centuries.
Examples of monarchy in a Sentence
the French monarchy of the 18th century
Recent Examples on the Web
The website of the State of Nebraska legislature notes that the founders of this country specifically rejected the establishment of a monarchy, which by definition eschews participatory governance.
—
Blake D. Morant, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
In recent years, the British monarchy has adopted a more conciliatory tone when addressing the past horrors of transatlantic slavery.
—Lauren Said-Moorhouse, CNN, 25 Oct. 2024
His five-day visit along with Queen Camilla, his first to an overseas realm as monarch and his first major foreign trip since his cancer diagnosis, comes as the Commonwealth country debates severing ties with the British monarchy.
—Peter Guo, NBC News, 21 Oct. 2024
During Hispanic Heritage Month, the anniversary of the independence of several Latin American countries that emancipated themselves from the Spanish monarchy is celebrated.
—Paula Soria, The Arizona Republic, 15 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for monarchy 
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.
Blake D. Morant, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
In recent years, the British monarchy has adopted a more conciliatory tone when addressing the past horrors of transatlantic slavery.
—Lauren Said-Moorhouse, CNN, 25 Oct. 2024
His five-day visit along with Queen Camilla, his first to an overseas realm as monarch and his first major foreign trip since his cancer diagnosis, comes as the Commonwealth country debates severing ties with the British monarchy.
—Peter Guo, NBC News, 21 Oct. 2024
During Hispanic Heritage Month, the anniversary of the independence of several Latin American countries that emancipated themselves from the Spanish monarchy is celebrated.
—Paula Soria, The Arizona Republic, 15 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for monarchy
Articles Related to monarchy
Dictionary Entries Near monarchy
Cite this Entry
“Monarchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monarchy. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
monarchy
noun
mon·ar·chy
ˈmän-ər-kē
plural monarchies
1
: total rule by one person
2
: a nation or country ruled by a monarch
3
: a form of government having a chief of state who inherits the position, rules for life, and holds powers varying from very limited to total
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share