anarchy

[ an-er-kee ]

noun

1. a state of society without government or law.
2. political and social disorder due to the absence of governmental control:

   The death of the king was followed by a year of anarchy.

   Synonyms: lawlessness, turmoil, disruption

3. anarchism ( def 1 ).
4. lack of obedience to an authority; insubordination:

   the anarchy of his rebellious teenage years.

5. confusion and disorder:

   Intellectual and moral anarchy followed his loss of faith.

   It was impossible to find the book I was looking for in the anarchy of his bookshelves.

   Synonyms: disintegration, turbulence, disorganization, license, disruption, chaos

anarchy

/ ænˈɑːkɪk; ˈænəkɪ /

noun

1. general lawlessness and disorder, esp when thought to result from an absence or failure of government
2. the absence or lack of government
3. the absence of any guiding or uniting principle; disorder; chaos
4. the theory or practice of political anarchism

Derived Forms

• anˈarchically, adverb
• anarchic, adjective

Other Words From

• hyper·anar·chy noun
• pro·anar·chy adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of anarchy¹

First recorded in 1530–40; from Middle French anarchie or Medieval Latin anarchia or directly from Greek anarchía “lawlessness,” literally, “lack of a leader,” equivalent to ánarch(os) “leaderless” ( an- “without, lacking” + arch(ós) “leader” + -os adjective suffix) + -ia noun suffix; an- ¹, -y ³

Word History and Origins

Origin of anarchy¹

C16: from Medieval Latin anarchia, from Greek anarkhia, from anarkhos without a ruler, from an- + arkh- leader, from arkhein to rule

Example Sentences

Evangelicals have long believed that the current age would climax with horrific plagues, social anarchy, rampant sexual immorality and military conflicts.

From Washington Post

The destruction of the republic by armed violence was justified by the claim that it was illegitimate, based on electoral falsification, and that its political leaders were thieving parasites who had brought only anarchy and crime.

From Time

It’s anarchy, this enhanced freedom players now have to change their minds.

From Washington Post

In periods of anarchy — when a queen dies and is not yet replaced — dialects started to dissolve, becoming much more variable, the researchers found.

From Science News

Celebrated as the “East Side Joan of Arc” and condemned as the “she-dog of anarchy,” Gurley burns through these pages like an avenging angel.

From Washington Post

Letting humans use their common sense is not an invitation to anarchy.

From The Daily Beast

I had the opportunity to appear on the popular Sons of Anarchy series in their final season.

From The Daily Beast

There are quite enough sons of anarchy in Syria and Iraq already.

From The Daily Beast

And this is the prevailing attitude that white St. Louis fears the most: an all out riot, anarchy, lawlessness, disorder.

From The Daily Beast

The notion of anarchy so appalled the conservative Reagan, he came out against Briggs, and it was defeated.

From The Daily Beast

They were sure that the white troops in Meerut would soon arrive and put an end to the prevalent anarchy.

From Project Gutenberg

A remnant of the long parliament assembled during the anarchy, and has been termed the rump.

From Project Gutenberg

Mr. Hutchinson was doubtless temperamentally less inclined to fear tyranny than anarchy.

From Project Gutenberg

Such a course would tend only to bloody and interminable anarchy.

From Project Gutenberg

The Republic had proved an utter failure, and France was but a tempest-tossed ocean of anarchy.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• chaos
• confusion
• disorder
• disorganization
• lawlessness
• nihilism
• riot
• turmoil