Definition of republicnext
as in democracy
government in which the supreme power is held by the people and used by them directly or indirectly through representation when asked by a passerby what sort of government the constitutional convention had formulated for the new nation, Benjamin Franklin memorably replied, "A republic, if you can keep it"

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Recent Examples of republic Italy abolished its monarchy in 1946, voting to become a republic, according to the BBC. — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 20 Sep. 2026 Grunis had previously fought in Chechnya, a mainly Muslim republic whose bid for independence after the Soviet Union’s collapse led to years of war with Russian government forces. — Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026 In the republic’s 250th year, service of this length and this devotion belongs to no party. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 15 Sep. 2026 Because Italy remained politically divided, its various kingdoms, republics, and territories continued to develop distinct regional culinary traditions. — Laura Payne, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for republic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for republic
democracy
Noun
  • Mekela Panditharatne, senior counsel in the democracy program at the Brennan Center for Justice, warned that such conversations hold risks.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The projects engage with such resonant themes as digital labor, bodily memory, virtual violence, and collective participation in democracies.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Republic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/republic. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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