oligarchic
Americanadjective
Usage
What does oligarchic mean? Oligarchic is used to describe things that involve an oligarchy—a government or system in which power is held by a select few individuals or a small class of powerful people.Such people can be called oligarchs. Oligarchic is typically used to describe systems that resemble or function as oligarchies or the actions of people considered oligarchs.In an oligarchy, the oligarchs may be the actual leaders, or they may influence or control the decisions that the leaders make (meaning that they’re the ones “pulling the strings” behind the scenes).Oligarchy is never used as an official term for a form of government (like monarchy is, for example)—it’s almost always applied as a criticism of such situations. Describing something as oligarchic is frequently used as a way of pointing out the influence of the wealthy and powerful in politics and government—an influence that’s typically used to benefit themselves.A country that is thought to have an oligarchic government can also be referred to as an oligarchy, as in Many outsiders view the nation as an oppressive oligarchy. Oligarchy can also refer to the class of people who have the power in this kind of system, as in The country was run by an oligarchy consisting of a few powerful industrialists.Example: Average citizens are angry because the oligarchic system is rigged to benefit the rich and powerful.
Other Word Forms
- nonoligarchic adjective
- nonoligarchical adjective
- oligarchically adverb
Etymology
Origin of oligarchic
1640–50; < Greek oligarchikós, equivalent to oligarch ( ía ) oligarchy + -ikos -ic
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Imperial overreach comes home: financial crisis, a Spartan fleet off the coast of Attica and an oligarchic coup in Athens.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025
“Some of them had oligarchic influences in the past, but so what, they got through it, and saw this as an opportunity to reset their image in an era of criticism of fossil fuels.”
From Washington Post • May 3, 2022
This would all be shockingly meritocratic for such an oligarchic sport, even if the suits are just trying to avoid yet another antitrust lawsuit.
From Slate • Jun. 16, 2021
We should rethink who makes design, engineering, social, and political decisions regarding the development and roll-out of technology, in ways that are win-win, rather than ones that elevates oligarchic gain over everyone else.
From Salon • Jun. 30, 2020
The wave of discontent that was stirring the people was beginning to strike at the heart of that oligarchic society.
From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
