as in tyrant
a person who uses power or authority in a cruel, unjust, or harmful way
the despot exiled political dissidents to remote labor camps, where they were left to rot
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of despot
Beloved strongmen can slide into becoming desperate despots, a risk courted by all of Bukele’s imitators and by Bukele himself.
—
Beatriz Magaloni, Foreign Affairs, 11 Sep. 2025
Kornbluth: On depression and despots Josh Kornbluth has established himself over the years as one of the Bay Area’s best storytellers.
—Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 28 Aug. 2025
The dance, not seen in years, is loosely based on the play by Eugene O’Neill, about an arrogant despot undone by his demons.
—Shauna Lyon, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2025
Who is the public supposed to turn to when public broadcasting networks appear to be manipulated by an aspiring despot?
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for despot
Beatriz Magaloni, Foreign Affairs, 11 Sep. 2025
Kornbluth: On depression and despots Josh Kornbluth has established himself over the years as one of the Bay Area’s best storytellers.
—Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 28 Aug. 2025
The dance, not seen in years, is loosely based on the play by Eugene O’Neill, about an arrogant despot undone by his demons.
—Shauna Lyon, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2025
Who is the public supposed to turn to when public broadcasting networks appear to be manipulated by an aspiring despot?
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for despot
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despot
Noun
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The light historical touch is no doubt necessary for a series trying to sell its viewers on a love story between a modern protagonist and a character originally based on a real-life historical tyrant.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
29 Sep. 2025
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Reynolds is a tetchy tyrant, who, enabled by his sister, Cyril (Lesley Manville), has embraced a need to have things just so as a means of warding off vulnerability.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Instead, Venezuela's opposition leader Maria Corina Machado won on Friday with the committee citing her fight for democracy against President Nicolas Maduro who is considered a dictator.—
Kate Plummer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
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Machado, who is the founder of the pro-democracy movement Sumate, and a key opponent of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, is currently living in hiding somewhere in Venezuela following threats to her life.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Despot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despot. Accessed 12 Oct. 2025.
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