fiefdom

noun

fief·​dom ˈfēf-dəm How to pronounce fiefdom (audio)
plural fiefdoms
: an area over which someone exercises control as or in the manner of a feudal lord
The Seigneur could not sell his fiefdom without approval from the Queen.Timothy Foote
… he encouraged the notion that the company was an extension of himself, and certainly it had been argued over the years that in his spending habits he treated it as his personal fiefdom.Connie Bruck
These men began to run Brazil as their personal fiefdom.Sue Branford
… corruption and nepotism are as rife as ever, with regional party leaders running their local fiefdoms like mafia godfathers.Michael A. Hall

Examples of fiefdom in a Sentence

you'll have to ask that guy—the project is his fiefdom
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
What was wrong with an assortment of kingdoms, fiefdoms, and tribes? Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 7 Apr. 2025 Without immediate reform, these organizations will continue to operate as unregulated fiefdoms—putting homeowners, businesses, and Florida's real estate market at risk. David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025 Itay’s official cinematic and cultural organizations and departments have partnered effectively with the Venice Festival, even if those partnerships were often fraught with pressures as competing arts fiefdoms set bureaucrat against bureaucrat. Steven Gaydos, Variety, 18 Feb. 2025 Four days after the fall of the Assad dynasty in Syria, the foreign powers that have carved the Arab-majority country up into competing fiefdoms are still trying to come to terms with a dizzying situation. Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for fiefdom

Word History

First Known Use

1814, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fiefdom was in 1814

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Cite this Entry

“Fiefdom.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fiefdom. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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