patriarchy
noun
pa·tri·ar·chy
ˈpā-trē-ˌär-kē 
plural patriarchies
1
: social organization marked by the supremacy of the father in the clan or family, the legal dependence of wives and children, and the reckoning of descent and inheritance in the male line
broadly
: control by men of a disproportionately large share of power
2
: a society or institution organized according to the principles or practices of patriarchy
For 20 years the country was ruled as a patriarchy.
Examples of patriarchy in a Sentence
For 20 years, the country was ruled as a patriarchy.
a region in which patriarchy is practiced
Recent Examples on the Web
Before the show even launched, the now-iconic red cloaks were being used as a real-world symbol for resisting the patriarchy.
—
Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2025
As real life and The Handmaid’s Tale have taught us, the patriarchy isn’t going to smash itself.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 16 May 2025
To change the patriarchy for a better way of living will take a long time, and there will be backlash.
—Michael Schaub, Oc Register, 7 May 2025
Wouldn’t this all be better if women did not care so much about other aspects of their lives and just did their duty as defined by the patriarchy?
—Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for patriarchy
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Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2025
As real life and The Handmaid’s Tale have taught us, the patriarchy isn’t going to smash itself.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 16 May 2025
To change the patriarchy for a better way of living will take a long time, and there will be backlash.
—Michael Schaub, Oc Register, 7 May 2025
Wouldn’t this all be better if women did not care so much about other aspects of their lives and just did their duty as defined by the patriarchy?
—Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for patriarchy
Cite this Entry
“Patriarchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patriarchy. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
patriarchy
noun
pa·tri·ar·chy
ˈpā-trē-ˌär-kē
plural patriarchies
1
: social organization in which the father is head of the family and ancestry and inheritance are traced in the male line
2
: a society organized according to the principles of patriarchy
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