czar

noun

ˈzär

ˈ(t)sär

variants or less commonly tsar or tzar

Synonyms of czar next

: emperor

specifically : the ruler of Russia until the 1917 revolution

: one having great power or authority

a banking czar

czardom noun

or less commonly tsardom or tzardom

ˈzär-dəm

ˈ(t)sär-

Example Sentences

a showbiz czar who is said to be able to make or break a career

Recent Examples on the Web An attorney with decades of military experience is taking over as the state’s new pot czar at a time when the state’s medical-marijuana industry is poised to double in size. —

Ryan Dailey, Orlando Sentinel, 18 Nov. 2022 As Dallas’ new workforce czar, McBee will be tasked with creating a plan that fosters more job training and education programs as well as opportunities for more residents to access them. —

Eric Johnson, Dallas News, 11 Jan. 2022 Monday’s rules were released about a month after the Department of Health hired Christopher Kimball to serve as the state’s new pot czar. —

Dara Kam, Sun Sentinel, 19 Dec. 2022 President Barack Obama demoted the White House drug czar position, removing the role from the Cabinet. —

Erin Patrick O'connor, Washington Post, 12 Dec. 2022 Utah homelessness czar Wayne Niederhauser and his Office of Homeless Services oppose the notion. —

The Salt Lake Tribune, 10 Dec. 2022 And then the czar stuff, is that at every point Putin has tried to legitimize himself. —

CBS News, 7 Dec. 2022 The timing of his arrival is notable, coming just a week after Disney’s now-infamous Sunday night Changing of the Bobs and his subsequent firing of Bob Chapek’s longtime deputy and distribution czar Kareem Daniel. —

Ryan Faughnder, Los Angeles Times, 29 Nov. 2022 In his own delusional reality, Russian czar Vladimir Putin has committed innumerable war crimes and sacrificed 100,000 Russian soldiers in a failed effort to subjugate and erase Ukraine. —

William Falk, The Week, 19 Nov. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'czar.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin czar, from Russian tsar', from Old Russian tsĭsarĭ, from Goth kaisar, from Greek or Latin; Greek, from Latin Caesar — more at caesar

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of czar was in 1555

See more words from the same year