overlord

noun

Definition of overlordnext
as in dictator

Related Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of overlord Militia commanders were already feeling slighted by their British overlords, and London’s stranglehold on trade and manufacturing caused still more resentment. — Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026 The story line has nothing to do with Queen but instead centers on a tale about rebel Earthlings overthrowing their cruel overlords. — Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 18 June 2026 Yes, other Hollywood depictions of the future had predicted similar technology over the years, but guess what year Apple overlord Steve Jobs announced the breakthrough videotelephony product known as FaceTime? — Dan Snierson, Entertainment Weekly, 16 June 2026 Some tech observers think that the Palantir overlord sees the end times coming, but his real motivation is likely much more mundane and self-interested. — David Futrelle, Washington Post, 4 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for overlord
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overlord
  1. dictator
  2. tyrant
  3. despot
  4. king
  5. emperor
  6. prince
  7. authoritarian
  8. satrap
Noun
  • Trump’s latest move aligns him with Russia’s dictator Vladimir Putin, the architect of the war in Ukraine.
    — Alfred H. Moses, Baltimore Sun, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Lee came of age under the military dictator Park Chung-hee, who imposed a midnight curfew and strict censorship of everything from newspapers to pop songs.
    — E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of dictator
Noun
  • Plato warned that an unhealthy democracy can easily fall prey to a tyrant.
    — Kenneth Michael White, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Some of the rumors, and a few of the reports at the time, paint Khrzhanovsky as a tyrant who went mad with power, like Colonel Kurtz in Heart of Darkness (or maybe Francis Ford Coppola making Apocalypse Now).
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of tyrant
Noun
  • Like in Vegas, where Elwood was babysitting the son of a despot.
    — Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Nevermind that by this stage the 48-year-old despot had a seeping abscess on his left leg and could barely walk.
    — Eva Wolchover, Vanity Fair, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of despot
Noun
  • The worst of El Niño is still months away, but Southern California’s fragile coastline is already being transformed by record-setting king tides and storm surges.
    — Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 17 Oct. 2026
  • After decades of neglect and subsequent disrepair, it was recently restored into a luxurious one-bedroom retreat that honors its historic roots while embracing contemporary amenities like a king bed, an en-suite bathroom, and a sleek living area.
    — Madeline Weinfield, Architectural Digest, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of king
Noun
  • Captain Billy McNeill, already nicknamed ‘Cesar’ after a Hollywood actor, was now ‘Caesar’ and duly held the cup aloft like an emperor.
    — Michael Walker, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Napoleon Bonaparte, having already lost half a million soldiers in Russia, was still an emperor dreaming of new conquests.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of emperor
Noun
  • Throughout the first six months of the war, the widespread response to Iranian attacks was posting images of the flag, the crown prince, and a prayer for the country.
    — Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • In response, the prince advised young Saudis living and working in Silicon Valley to refine their skills at premier tech companies before bringing their expertise home, the New York Post reported.
    — Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of prince
Noun
  • This was demonstrated in Hungary in April, when opposition leader Péter Magyar convincingly won an election against a long-ruling, right-wing authoritarian.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 9 Sep. 2026
  • And the solution is simply to replace the corrupt, racist authoritarian with a governing party that respects the rule of law, equality, and basic decency.
    — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of authoritarian
Noun
  • The ranks of the leadership are staffed, in large measure, with satraps and mediocrities.
    — David Remnick, New Yorker, 21 June 2025
  • The quick collapse of the Soviet Union and its Eastern European satraps unsettled both nations.
    — Christian Schneider, National Review, 21 Dec. 2023
Definition of satrap

Browse Nearby Words

overlooks
overlord
overlords
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Overlord.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overlord. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on overlord

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about overlord

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All