Definition of ANARCHY (original) (raw)
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 nature—
Israel Shenker
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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.”
Synonyms
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 In short, the situation with pants parallels the condition of Western politics: mere anarchy loosed upon the world. —Maya Singer, Vogue, 12 Sep. 2024 The ultimate freedom is anarchy and the jungle, so actually less freedom can bring joy to someone other than the top predator. —Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 6 Sep. 2024 In new conditions of anarchy, groups can see other groups as threatening even as each only seeks to defend itself. —Charles L. Glaser, Foreign Affairs, 18 June 2024 The pro contingent, which includes this critic, appreciated its glowering social-realist spin and its adventurousness in observing Batman lore while tethering it to a morally bankrupt view of contemporary America on the brink of anarchy, cracked open by class and wealth divisions. —David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for anarchy 
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 1 Oct. 2024.
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Last Updated: 20 Sep 2024 - Updated example sentences
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