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patriarchy

[pey-tree-ahr-kee] / ˈpeɪ triˌɑr ki /
NOUN
society led by men
Synonyms
STRONGEST
patriarchism patriarchship
STRONG
patriarchate


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Markus Schleinzer's "Rose" premiered at the Berlin film festival Sunday, with Sandra Hueller playing a woman in 17th-century Germany trying to escape the strictures of patriarchy by passing herself off as a man.

From Barron's • Feb. 15, 2026

She worried the themes discussed — patriarchy, capitalism and poverty — could be taken out of context and used against her.

From Salon • Oct. 16, 2025

The sanitary pads demonstrate his empathy and readiness to help should a nearby woman forget she's on her period; the literature that he knows all about the structural and institutional barriers of the patriarchy.

From BBC • Oct. 3, 2025

Swift’s engagement to the football star was long anticipated by her die-hard fans, who for years studied her lyrics about heartbreak and the patriarchy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 27, 2025

Maybe having a mom who also wants to dismantle the patriarchy and a dad who wears frilly aprons will do that.

From "From Twinkle, with Love" by Sandhya Menon



Vocabulary lists containing patriarchy


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