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anarchy definition

an·ar·chy (an′ər kē, -är′-)

noun pl. anarchies -·chies

  1. the complete absence of government
  2. political disorder and violence; lawlessness
  3. disorder in any sphere of activity

Etymology: Gr anarchia: see anarch

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

anarchy Synonyms

anarchy

n.

  1. Disorder

    turmoil, chaos, mob rule; see disorder 2.

  2. Absence of government

    political nihilism, disregard for law, lawlessness, avowed hostility to government.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

anarchy Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • prevent: Able to dispense instant sentencing, Judges are the one thing preventing total anarchy.

Adjective modifier

  • moral: This is the opposite of moral anarchy or rampant individualism.

Modifies a noun

  • reign: In South Africa anarchy reigns; Johannesburg is the world's capital of murder, street crime is out of control.

Noun used with modifier

  • private-property: Strictly speaking, market exchange is one aspect of private-property anarchy.

Preposition: in

  • production: Capitalism is private ownership of the means of production, and anarchy in production.

Preposition: of

  • production: The problem facing mobile phone production is typical anarchy of production.
anarchy usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

anarchy quotes

Freedom and not servitude is the cure of anarchy; as religion, and not atheism, is the true remedy for superstition.

-Burke, Edmund

They that are discontented under monarchy call it tyranny; and they that are displeased with aristocracy call it oligarchy; so also, they which find themselves grieved under a democracy call it anarchy, which signifies the want of government; and yet I think no man believes that want of government is any new kind of government.

-Hobbes,Thomas

Government and co-operation are in all things the laws of life; anarchy and competition the laws of death.

-Ruskin,John

anarchy quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"anarchy." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
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APA Style

anarchy. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/anarchy

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