oligarchic

adjective

ol·​i·​gar·​chic ˌä-lə-ˈgär-kik How to pronounce oligarchic (audio)
ˌō-
variants or oligarchical
: of, relating to, or based on an oligarchy

Examples of oligarchic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Lauren Sanchez once again found a way to showcase her famous assets while accompanying her fiancé Jeff Bezos to a high-profile event, this time when the couple joined other Silicon Valley tech CEOs doing their oligarchic power flex at Donald Trump’s inauguration. Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 21 Jan. 2025 Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, American critics have rightly described Russia as an oligarchic state. David Remnick, The New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2025 Rather than treating Trump as a malign interloper to a virtuous establishment, Democrats should oppose him as the manifestation of a corrupt, self-enriching, oligarchic global elite. Ben Rhodes, Foreign Affairs, 13 Dec. 2024 And they are both governed by personalistic authoritarian leaders with the support of an oligarchic elite largely insulated from oversight. Maria Snegovaya, Foreign Affairs, 25 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for oligarchic 

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, Medieval Latin & Greek; French oligarchique, going back to Middle French, borrowed from Medieval Latin oligarchicus, borrowed from Greek oligarchikós, from oligarchía oligarchy + -ikos -ic entry 1

First Known Use

1586, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of oligarchic was in 1586

Dictionary Entries Near oligarchic

Cite this Entry

“Oligarchic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oligarchic. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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