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Glite Dictionary
puppet government

puppet government

3 5.8
A government run by another country that does what the other country wants and has little real power
  • noun
  • /ˈpʌpɪt ˈɡʌvərnmənt/
  • Literature
translation icon : gobierno títere
  • The country's leadership was seen as a puppet government, heavily influenced by external powers.
  • puppet government under international law
  • puppet government under international
  • more than a puppet government

Examples

  • Everybody knows that the US, Iranians, and Israel have been running the joint occupation puppet government today for six years.

    Blog text (1)

  • A country is in turmoil—we had to set up a puppet government, don't you see?

    Blog text (11)

  • The US rules the world using military power, media propaganda, and puppet governments.

    Blog text (34)

  • It's just like in Vietnam, where US troops did all the fighting to support a puppet government.

    Blog text (30)

  • Otherwise, PISGA will be nothing more than a "puppet government" under international law.

    Academic text (2000)

  • So, yes, it's just like Vietnam, propping up a totally corrupt and dysfunctional puppet government until the mobs tear it apart.

    Blog text (30)

  • What must be avoided is enduring economic or political dependency—the creation of pauper populations or of satellite states and puppet governments.

    Academic text (2011)

  • After the invasion, the foreign nation established a puppet government to control local affairs.

  • Many critics argue that the new regime is merely a puppet government serving the interests of its sponsors.

Synonyms

puppet regime
vspuppet government
  • Offensive
2 8.4

A government controlled by a foreign power with no real independence

is controlled and directed by an outside authority rather than chosen locally
puppet state
vspuppet government
  • Offensive
1 7.6

A government that looks independent but is controlled by another country

is directly controlled and lacks real power or independence

Antonyms

sovereign
82 7.0

Has full political independence from other countries

autonomous
51 6.3

Free to make its own decisions without outside control

How Controlled

puppet government
  • Literature
3 5.8
satellite
7.0
sovereign
82 7.0

Surface Forms

puppet government singular
puppet governments plural

Morphology

puppet + government

The meaning 'a government controlled by outside powers' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'puppet' (someone manipulated by others) with 'government' (group exercising state authority). This metaphorical use of 'puppet' to indicate control is common cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both words will very likely understand the MWE.

Etymology

Puppet government comes from the image of a puppet on strings, moved by someone else. That image shows why it means a government that is 'controlled' by an outside power and 'has no real power'.