Meaning & use
Praetorianism
Last updated
The excessive political influence or dominance of the military over civilian government.
See it in a sentence
Historians point to praetorianism as a recurring threat to fragile republics.
The coup was seen as a modern instance of praetorianism undermining democratic rule.
A note on using this word
Named after the Praetorian Guard, the Roman emperors' elite bodyguard, which frequently intervened in imperial politics and even assassinated rulers.
Words with a similar meaning
militarism
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Praetorianism”, then compare your use with the examples above.
Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.