theocracy
noun
the·oc·ra·cy
| \ thē-ˈä-krə-sē
\
\
plural theocracies
Definition of theocracy
1
: government of a state by immediate divine guidance or by officials who are regarded as divinely guided
2
: a state governed by a theocracy
Examples of theocracy in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The show stars Elisabeth Moss as the novel’s narrator and protagonist, Offred, a woman stripped of her job, her family, and her name in a near-future American theocracy called Gilead. — Jia Tolentino, The New Yorker, "Margaret Atwood Expands the World of “The Handmaid’s Tale”," 5 Sep. 2019 In her landmark 1985 novel, The Handmaid’s Tale, a totalitarian theocracy has taken over the U.S. in the midst of a fertility crisis. — Time, "The Handmaid's Tale Was a Warning. Three Decades Later, Margaret Atwood Is Back With Another," 3 Sep. 2019 Britain’s unwritten political order, as the writer George Orwell noted, has always cherished eccentricity; in many other democracies, a formal, constitutional right to free speech reflects long struggles against authoritarianism and theocracy. — The Economist, "Blasphemy laws are quietly vanishing in liberal democracies," 25 Aug. 2019 June is a handmaid in a dystopian theocracy that uses fertile women as commodities for child-bearing. — Teghan Simonton, USA Today, "The Handmaid's Tale rides the political wave around women's rights — and contributes.," 13 Aug. 2019 Despite being heralded as a new, accessible civilian face in a Shiite theocracy that is now 40 years old, Jahromi’s past as an intelligence officer has raised political concern. — Washington Post, "AP Interview: Rising Iran politician has intelligence ties," 10 July 2019 Rouhani, still viewed inside Iran as a relatively moderate cleric in the country's Shiite theocracy, has taken an increasingly hard-line tone in his remarks to the West. — Jon Gambrell, chicagotribune.com, "Iran will increase uranium enrichment to ‘any amount that we want,’ president says," 3 July 2019 Iran’s fragile theocracy can’t absorb a massive external shock. — Reuel Marc Gerecht And Ray Takeyh, WSJ, "America Can Face Down a Fragile Iran," 16 June 2019 Both brands are bottled by local firms, Khoshgovar Mashhad Co. for Coca-Cola and Sasan Co. and Neysun Shargh Co. for Pepsi, which are affiliated with the Imam Reza Foundation, an economic conglomerate tied to the country's Shiite theocracy. — Jon Gambrell, chicagotribune.com, "From hot sauce to pop gloss, U.S. products seep into Iran," 11 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'theocracy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for theocracy
theocracy
noun
English Language Learners Definition of theocracy
: a form of government in which a country is ruled by religious leaders
: a country that is ruled by religious leaders
See the full definition for theocracy in the English Language Learners Dictionary