as in monarch
one who rules over a people with a sole, supreme, and usually hereditary authority
the aging ruler agonized over the choice of an heir
Synonyms & Similar 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 ruler
Reza Shah Pahlavi, the ruler of Iran before the revolution saw the value of cooperating with Israel for economic and technical reasons.
—
Saleem H. Ali, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
It was named after Queen Zenobia, the legendary ruler of ancient Palmyra who annexed part of the Roman Empire when the city was a key stop on the Silk Road.
—Jane Arraf, NPR, 11 June 2025
August was all about preparing for the return to school, with popular grocery items including colored pencils, ring binders, index cards, as well as rulers, notebooks, and calculators.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 21 June 2025
Responding to persecution by India’s Mughal rulers—and the torture and execution of his father—Hargobind militarized Sikhism.
—Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 21 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ruler
Saleem H. Ali, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
It was named after Queen Zenobia, the legendary ruler of ancient Palmyra who annexed part of the Roman Empire when the city was a key stop on the Silk Road.
—Jane Arraf, NPR, 11 June 2025
August was all about preparing for the return to school, with popular grocery items including colored pencils, ring binders, index cards, as well as rulers, notebooks, and calculators.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 21 June 2025
Responding to persecution by India’s Mughal rulers—and the torture and execution of his father—Hargobind militarized Sikhism.
—Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 21 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ruler
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruler
Noun
-
However, the long-reigning monarch never wore the Greville tiara in public, likely due to its significant connection to her late mother.—
Meredith Kile,
People.com,
4 July 2025
-
The revolutionary focus was, and remains today, on the rights of the individual — not the state, not the monarch, not a corporate entity, not a particular economic or social class, and certainly not the military.—
Arthur I. Cyr,
Chicago Tribune,
2 July 2025
Noun
-
For starters, power in the United States is vested in the people, not in the government, and certainly not in a sovereign.—
Richard Lorenc,
Twin Cities,
3 July 2025
-
The Ceremony of the Keys is a staple on the sovereign's schedule during Royal Week, as is an investiture ceremony at the Palace of the Holyroodhouse and a palace garden party.—
Janine Henni,
People.com,
1 July 2025
Noun
-
Ginza is also just a short walk from the Imperial Palace, which is the main residence of the emperor of Japan.—
Terry Elward,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
-
Ridley Scott’s 2023 film Napoleon tracks the emperor’s rise and fall through his relationship to his first wife.—
Eli Wizevich,
Smithsonian Magazine,
30 June 2025
Noun
-
Tokyo is famously the reigning king of Michelin cities, boasting 251 stars across 194 restaurants.—
Jessica Kozuka,
Travel + Leisure,
6 July 2025
-
Our leader shall not be a king ruling by divine right, as that was decided on this day in Philadelphia 249 years ago, but one of the common folk elevated freely by fellow citizens.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
4 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ruler.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruler. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share