warlord

noun

war·​lord ˈwȯr-ˌlȯrd 

1

: a supreme military leader

2

: a military commander exercising civil power by force usually in a limited area

warlordism

ˈwȯr-ˌlȯr-ˌdi-zəm 

noun

Examples of warlord in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

During the 17th century, Japan was in a state of upheaval, fractured by rival warlords fighting for domination; then, three leaders came together to unite the bushō to bring peace and a new order to Japan. — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 17 July 2026

Kai’s father figure, Uncle Six (Byron Mann), is one of the warlords bent on domination, setting up a Star Wars-esque clash between father and son. — David Faris, TheWeek, 10 July 2026

For weeks, a meme has circulated of Mbappé as a warlord, dictating his teammates’ roles. — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 10 July 2026

Abdiqassim Salad Hassan meets with warlord Hussein Mohamed Aidid in Surt, Libya, to discuss reconciliation. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1856, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for warlord

• abhorred
• aboard
• accord
• adored
• afford
• award
• baseboard
• billboard
• blackboard
• boxboard
• breadboard
• broadsword

Kids Definition

warlord

noun

war·​lord ˈwȯ(ə)r-ˌlȯ(ə)rd 

1

: an important military leader

2

: a military leader who governs an area by force