oligarchy
noun
a form of government in which all power is vested in a few persons or in a dominant class or clique; government by the few.
oligarchies
-
pluralof oligarchy.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
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.
But these broad coalitions were fragile, while the economic and institutional power of entrenched oligarchies remained largely intact.
From Salon ● Sep. 1, 2026
Immediately following the war, Sparta established oligarchies of local aristocrats in the city-states that had been democracies under the Delian League.
From Textbooks ● Apr. 19, 2023
Global supply chains were supposed to lower costs, boost profits and enable democratic values to seep into the terrain of oligarchies, dictatorships and autocracies.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 11, 2022
The resulting decrease of the “temperature” χ/ζ threw the countries into a wealth-condensed state, so that formerly communist countries became partial oligarchies almost overnight.
From Scientific American ● Oct. 30, 2019
The Spartans held Athens and Thebes by establishing oligarchies there; yet they lost them both.
From "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli
