kleptocracy
2 synonyms and 1 antonym for kleptocracy, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A government whose leaders use their power mainly to steal from the state and enrich themselves, treating public money and national resources as personal property.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
thiefdom
corrupt regime
Antonyms
How to use kleptocracy
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
a corrupt kleptocracy
descend into kleptocracy
the ruling kleptocracy
Formal and strongly critical; common in journalism, political science and sanctions policy.
Etymology
From Greek kleptes 'thief' plus -kratia 'rule, power', the same ending as in democracy and autocracy.
Full origin of kleptocracy →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a kleptocracy and an oligarchy?
An oligarchy is rule by a small group, defined by how few people hold power rather than by what they do with it. A kleptocracy is defined by the theft: leaders stay in office in order to loot public funds. Many kleptocracies are also oligarchies, but an oligarchy could in principle be honest.
Is kleptocracy the same as corruption?
No. Corruption can exist inside an otherwise functioning state, as individual officials taking bribes. Kleptocracy is systemic: stealing is the organising purpose of the government itself, running from the top down.
How is kleptocracy pronounced?
Stress the second syllable: klep-TOK-ruh-see, on the same pattern as democracy and bureaucracy.
