as in area
a region of activity, knowledge, or influence
you'll have to ask that guy—the project is his fiefdom
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fiefdom
The eastern borderlands of Democratic Republic of Congo, a country roughly the size of Western Europe, remain a tinder-box of rebel zones and militia fiefdoms in the wake of two successive regional wars stemming from Rwanda’s 1994 genocide.
—
Reuters, NBC News, 27 Jan. 2025
Maybe allowing one man to turn an authoritarian system that was benefiting myriad interest groups into a personalist fiefdom that risks everything isn’t such a good idea, after all.
—Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 6 Apr. 2022
Forward on Arsenal contract ‘mistake’, life in Saudi, robbery in Barcelona
Getty Images; design: Eamonn Dalton
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is a defining footnote in the story of how Arsenal became Mikel Arteta’s fiefdom.
—Phil Hay, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 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
Reuters, NBC News, 27 Jan. 2025
Maybe allowing one man to turn an authoritarian system that was benefiting myriad interest groups into a personalist fiefdom that risks everything isn’t such a good idea, after all.
—Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 6 Apr. 2022
Forward on Arsenal contract ‘mistake’, life in Saudi, robbery in Barcelona
Getty Images; design: Eamonn Dalton
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is a defining footnote in the story of how Arsenal became Mikel Arteta’s fiefdom.
—Phil Hay, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fiefdom
Noun
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One doctor claimed that the military was using its control over checkpoints to block medicine from going to areas controlled by pro-democracy forces and ethnic groups.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
3 Apr. 2025
-
Team 2 will survey the area associated with the tornado near Greenville.—
Robert A. Cronkleton,
Kansas City Star,
3 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Then, to my astonishment, two slender blue-white streaks appeared, faintly at first, then slightly brighter, like a pair of angel wings peeking through some wondrous celestial realm.—
Blane Bachelor,
AFAR Media,
9 Apr. 2025
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Nearly all of them cite the Stanford University communications scholar Clifford Nass, who by the 1990s and 2000s became the go-to expert on human-computer interaction, particularly in the realm of voice interfaces.—
Sarah A. Bell,
Smithsonian Magazine,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The nuanced understanding of consumer emotions, tonality, and sentiment—critical elements for brand building—remain domains where human insight currently outperforms AI capabilities.—
Josipa Majic Predin,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
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By the time defenders block one address or domain, new ones have already been assigned.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
4 Apr. 2025
Noun
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According to the department of corrections, about 13,000 people — nearly half the state’s prison population — have such risk ratings, although not all of them are eligible for parole.—
Richard A. Webster,
ProPublica,
10 Apr. 2025
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The Penn State athletic department also credits former Penn State club ice hockey coach Joe Battista, a former school administrator who played a pivotal in securing the original donation from the Pegulas and oversaw the early development of the men’s and women’s D-I programs.—
Eric Jackson,
Sportico.com,
10 Apr. 2025
Noun
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After the Entrada, there are traces of Teotihuacan’s presence all over Tikal, from royal burials in a necropolis to distinctly Mexican architecture mixed with Maya elements in a complex of residential and ceremonial buildings near the heart of the city.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
10 Apr. 2025
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On the other hand, there are elements of youth and inexperience that can only be felt in my shows in the past, perhaps my fans can find entertainment in my growth as well.—
Billboard Japan,
Billboard,
10 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Some franchise will hand her the keys to its kingdom.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
4 Apr. 2025
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The kingdom has been roundly criticized for its repressive treatment of women, who only gained the right to drive in 2018.—
Blythe Lawrence,
Forbes.com,
2 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Of course, the process of reviving these animals was no walk in the park.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
7 Apr. 2025
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Sure, no zombie show is exactly a walk in the park, but watching The Last of Us is an especially draining experience, pairing abrupt graphic violence with a suffocatingly bleak worldview.—
Dave Nemetz,
TVLine,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
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In 65 games, the former Kentucky Wildcat is averaging 17.2 points per game, 3.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 0.9 steals while shooting 43.9 percent from the field and 32.5 percent from three in 31.6 minutes.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Apr. 2025
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Aside from the injuries, Watson contended with some high-profile issues away from the football field.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
10 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fiefdom.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fiefdom. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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