oligarch
noun
ol·i·garch
ˈä-lə-ˌgärk 
ˈō-
ˈō-
plural oligarchs
1
: a member or supporter of an oligarchy
2
in Russia and other countries that succeeded the Soviet Union
: one of a class of individuals who through private acquisition of state assets amassed great wealth that is stored especially in foreign accounts and properties and who typically maintain close links to the highest government circles
But what does it really mean to be a Russian oligarch …? … in Russian politics, the term first came about in the 1990s to describe a dozen or so powerful men who amassed immense wealth following the collapse of the Soviet Union.—
The Business Insider
The Business InsiderThe task force will pool the resources of the countries' law enforcement divisions to track down the assets of Russian oligarchs stashed overseas, a difficult task complicated by the opaque or complicated financial instruments frequently used by Russian financial elites to hide their holdings from public view.—Jeff Stein
Jeff Stein… young Armenians, who joined the protests in droves, angry that the same small club of politicians and oligarchs has controlled the country since independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.—Neil Macfarquhar
Neil MacfarquharExamples of oligarch in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But there was no competition bow this year for Lapid’s in-your-face musical satire about a pair of Israeli artists who sign their souls over to a Russian oligarch to craft a post-October 7 nationalist anthem in support of their state.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 28 May 2025
To do so will require the governor and legislators to ignore the million-dollar lobbyists representing their billion-dollar oligarchs and act for the benefit of all Texans.
Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn.
—Ed Hirs, Forbes.com, 11 May 2025
Like pieces on a chessboard, Orbán-friendly oligarchs scooped up major newspapers, TV channels and radio stations.
—Adam G. Klein, The Conversation, 28 Apr. 2025
The oligarchs in Hungary and Russia support the dictatorship with their monetary gains in return for being allowed to remain billionaires.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oligarch
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Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 28 May 2025
To do so will require the governor and legislators to ignore the million-dollar lobbyists representing their billion-dollar oligarchs and act for the benefit of all Texans.
Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn.
—Ed Hirs, Forbes.com, 11 May 2025
Like pieces on a chessboard, Orbán-friendly oligarchs scooped up major newspapers, TV channels and radio stations.
—Adam G. Klein, The Conversation, 28 Apr. 2025
The oligarchs in Hungary and Russia support the dictatorship with their monetary gains in return for being allowed to remain billionaires.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oligarch
Cite this Entry
“Oligarch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oligarch. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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