anarchy

noun

an·​ar·​chy ˈa-nər-kē How to pronounce anarchy (audio) -ˌnär- How to pronounce anarchy (audio)
1
a
: absence of government
b
: a state of lawlessness or political disorder due to the absence of governmental authority
the city's descent into anarchy
c
: a utopian society of individuals who enjoy complete freedom without government
2
a
: absence or denial of any authority or established order
anarchy prevailed in the war zone
b
: absence of order : disorder
not manicured plots but a wild anarchy of natureIsrael Shenker
3

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The Multiple Meanings of Anarchy

Anarchy exemplifies how words may have similar yet distinctive meanings. The earliest recorded use of the word, from the early 16th century, meant simply “absence of government,” albeit with the implication of civil disorder. A similar but ameliorated meaning began to be employed in the 19th century in reference to a Utopian society that had no government. The establishment of these two senses of anarchy did not stop the word from being applied outside the realm of government with the broadened meaning ”a state of confusion or disorder.” The existence of definitions that are in semantic conflict does not imply that one (or more) of them is wrong; it simply shows that multisense words like anarchy mean different things in different contexts. Another example of a sense-shifting word relating to government is aristocracy. When first used in English, this word carried the sole meaning “government by the best individuals.” It may still be used in such a fashion, but more commonly, it is encountered in the extended sense “the aggregate of those believed to be superior.”

Examples of anarchy in a Sentence

Its immigration policies in the last five years have become the envy of those in the West who see in all but the most restrictive laws the specter of terrorism and social anarchy. Caroline Moorehead, New York Review of Books, 16 Nov. 2006
Fueled by booze and the euphoria of having seen their school win a share of its first … title in 36 years, a mob of Beavers fans hurled itself at the cops, breaching both chains and creating anarchy. Austin Murphy, Sports Illustrated, 27 Nov. 2000
But by the early 1800s, the mines began to play out, and the colonists challenged the Spanish throne for independence. The Silver Cities survived not only the bloody revolution of 1821 but also the ensuing century of anarchy and bloodshed. David Baird, Continental, February 1999
The anarchy of the Internet may be daunting for the neophyte, but it differs little from the bibliographical chaos that is the result of five and a half centuries of the printing press. Fred Lerner, The Story of Libraries, (1945) 1998
Anarchy reigned in the empire's remote provinces. When the teacher was absent, there was anarchy in the classroom.
Recent Examples on the Web Not least, a Russian victory in Ukraine would shatter the post-1945 norm against the forcible conquest and annexation of territory, thereby pulling the world back toward vicious anarchy. Hal Brands, The Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2024 The jackets and flannels include anarchy symbols, spider webs and skulls. Charlie Vargas, Orange County Register, 15 Feb. 2024 Exclusive reporting on the assassination of Haiti’s president and the anarchy still raging. Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 22 Feb. 2024 Many are left to puzzle over what Gaetz’s ultimate political objective is, beyond self-serving anarchy. Dexter Filkins, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2024 For those who like a little anarchy with their popcorn (and who have an appreciation for uh, unconventional endings) this genre-breaking oddity conjures a grotesque and beautiful magic that could only have come from the mind of a Python. EW.com, 13 Nov. 2023 Being hard to classify, they were occasionally lumped in with punk bands by the music press, despite the uniformity of their yellow hazmat suits and headgear suggesting the opposite of anarchy. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Jan. 2024 The only consensus is that the current march toward anarchy will grind on and civilians will bear the cost. Jason Motlagh, Rolling Stone, 26 Nov. 2023 The man was wearing a Descendents T-shirt, the teenager a NOFX one; Mom was in the tattoo parlor upstairs, getting her leg inked with an image of a Doc Marten and an anarchy symbol. Brett Martin, New York Times, 28 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'anarchy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin anarchia, borrowed from Greek anarchía "lack of a leader, lawlessness," from ánarchos "without a head or chief, leaderless" (from an- an- + -archos, derivative of archós "leader, chief") + -ia -y entry 2 — more at -arch entry 1

First Known Use

1539, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of anarchy was in 1539

Dictionary Entries Near anarchy

Cite this Entry

“Anarchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anarchy. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

anarchy

noun
an·​ar·​chy ˈan-ər-kē How to pronounce anarchy (audio) -ˌär- How to pronounce anarchy (audio)
1
: the condition of a country where there is no government
2
: a state of lawlessness, confusion, or disorder

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