oligarch
noun
ol·i·garch
ˈä-lə-ˌgärk 
ˈō-
ˈō-
plural oligarchs
1
: a member or supporter of an oligarchy
2
in Russia and other countries that succeeded the Soviet Union
: one of a class of individuals who through private acquisition of state assets amassed great wealth that is stored especially in foreign accounts and properties and who typically maintain close links to the highest government circles
But what does it really mean to be a Russian oligarch …? … in Russian politics, the term first came about in the 1990s to describe a dozen or so powerful men who amassed immense wealth following the collapse of the Soviet Union.—
The Business Insider
The Business InsiderThe task force will pool the resources of the countries' law enforcement divisions to track down the assets of Russian oligarchs stashed overseas, a difficult task complicated by the opaque or complicated financial instruments frequently used by Russian financial elites to hide their holdings from public view.—Jeff Stein
Jeff Stein… young Armenians, who joined the protests in droves, angry that the same small club of politicians and oligarchs has controlled the country since independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.—Neil Macfarquhar
Neil MacfarquharExamples of oligarch in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Mikey Madison stars in the title role, an exotic dancer who finds herself in a relationship romance with the son of a Russian oligarch, played by Mark Eydelshteyn.
—Lisa Respers France, CNN, 18 Oct. 2024
In 2022, the invasion of Ukraine, combined with rule of law deficiencies, the prosecution of oligarchs, and sometimes violent property disputes, caused a record $239 billion (13 percent of GDP) to flee the country.
—Ariel Cohen, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2024
Russian oligarchs and weapons dealers shuttle tether abroad to buy property and pay suppliers for sanctioned goods. ...
—Brady Dale, Axios, 12 Sep. 2024
The movie concerns Madison’s title character, a strip-club dancer and sometime escort, who impulsively marries her client, the goofy dissolute son of a Russian oligarch.
—Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for oligarch 
Lisa Respers France, CNN, 18 Oct. 2024
In 2022, the invasion of Ukraine, combined with rule of law deficiencies, the prosecution of oligarchs, and sometimes violent property disputes, caused a record $239 billion (13 percent of GDP) to flee the country.
—Ariel Cohen, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2024
Russian oligarchs and weapons dealers shuttle tether abroad to buy property and pay suppliers for sanctioned goods. ...
—Brady Dale, Axios, 12 Sep. 2024
The movie concerns Madison’s title character, a strip-club dancer and sometime escort, who impulsively marries her client, the goofy dissolute son of a Russian oligarch.
—Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for oligarch
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'oligarch.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near oligarch
Cite this Entry
“Oligarch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oligarch. Accessed 3 Nov. 2024.
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