oligarchy

7 synonyms and 2 antonyms for oligarchy, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — A system of government in which power rests with a small group of people, typically the wealthy, rather than with the population as a whole.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

elite

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

junta

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

plutocracy autocracy cabal rule ruling class cabal

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

A system of government in which power rests with a small group of people, typically the wealthy, rather than with the population as a whole.

“Critics argue the country has drifted from democracy into oligarchy.”

plutocracy autocracy cabal rule

Opposites

democracy republic

2. noun

The small group that holds such power, or a state ruled by one.

“A narrow oligarchy of families controlled the city for two centuries.”

ruling class junta elite cabal

How to use oligarchy

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

a narrow oligarchy slide into oligarchy ruling oligarchy oligarchy of wealth

Formal and generally critical. Calling a system an oligarchy is an accusation, not a neutral classification.

Etymology

From Greek oligarkhia, from oligoi "few" and arkhein "to rule": rule by the few.

Full origin of oligarchy →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between an oligarchy and an aristocracy?

Both are rule by a few, but aristocracy was traditionally understood as rule by the best-qualified, and in practice by hereditary nobility. Oligarchy is the unflattering term: rule by a few for their own benefit, usually on the basis of wealth.

What is the difference between oligarchy and plutocracy?

An oligarchy is rule by a small group, whatever holds it together — wealth, family, military rank or party membership. A plutocracy is specifically rule by the rich. Most plutocracies are oligarchies, but not every oligarchy is a plutocracy.

Is the United States an oligarchy?

It is a constitutional republic with elections, so it is not an oligarchy in the formal sense. Some political scientists nonetheless argue it functions as one, citing studies that find policy tracks the preferences of wealthy donors far more closely than those of ordinary voters. The claim is contested.

People also searched

republic democracy elite junta autocracy cabal plutocracy

Nearby words

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