absolute monarchy

American  

[ab-suh-loot mon-er-kee] / ˈæb səˌlut ˈmɒn ər ki /

noun

1. a monarchy that is not limited or restrained by laws or a constitution.

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absolute monarchy British  

noun

1. a monarchy without constitutional limits Compare constitutional monarchy

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absolute monarchy Cultural  

1. Rule by one person — a monarch, usually a king or a queen — whose actions are restricted neither by written law nor by custom; a system different from a constitutional monarchy and from a republic. Absolute monarchy persisted in France until 1789 and in Russia until 1917.

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Other Word Forms

• absolute monarch
  noun

Compare meaning

How does absolute-monarchy compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• absolute monarchy vs. constitutional monarchy

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

absolute monarchy

Eswatini, Africa's last absolute monarchy, confirmed last year it had received around $5.1 million from the United States to accept 160 deportees.

From Barron's ● Jul. 10, 2026

Eswatini is the last absolute monarchy in Africa.

From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2025

Taiwan has provided large amounts of aid to the small southern African country ruled by an absolute monarchy, including in 2021 antiviral medication to help King Mswati III recover from COVID.

From Reuters ● Sep. 5, 2023

Eswatini is an absolute monarchy, and most of the country’s population live below the poverty line.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 4, 2023

The principal cause of the change, the establishment of absolute monarchy, had acted violently upon France in shaking the nation to its depths, as do all changes not developing from national tradition.

From Louis XIV and La Grande Mademoiselle 1652-1693 by Barine, Arvede