overlord

noun

over·​lord ˈō-vər-ˌlȯrd How to pronounce overlord (audio)
1
: a lord over other lords : a lord paramount
2
a
: an absolute or supreme ruler
b
: one having great power or authority
a corporate overlord
overlordship
ˈō-vər-ˌlȯrd-ˌship How to pronounce overlord (audio)
ˌō-vər-ˈlȯrd-
noun

Examples of overlord in a Sentence

He is the overlord of the underground gambling industry.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
John Oliver didn’t disappoint his corporate overlords Sunday night by addressing the recent HBO Max name reversal — the latest in a series of changes for the streaming service. Kimberly Nordyke, HollywoodReporter, 18 May 2025 Hitting the NBCUniversal upfront stage on Monday morning, Meyers gave a strong monologue tweaking his corporate overlords — and one joke at the very end elicited the biggest laughs (and gasps!) from the audience. Michael Schneider, Variety, 12 May 2025 By the 1970s, however, a wave of newly independent countries, including in Africa, the Middle East, and elsewhere, led a new push to further stigmatize starvation tactics, driven by direct experience of this kind of warfare by their former colonial overlords. Boyd Van Dijk, Foreign Affairs, 30 Apr. 2025 The book explores the exploitation of undocumented Angelenos by both gang overlords and local law enforcement. Karla Marie Sanford, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for overlord

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of overlord was in the 13th century

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Cite this Entry

“Overlord.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overlord. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

overlord

noun
over·​lord ˈō-vər-ˌlȯ(ə)rd How to pronounce overlord (audio)
1
: a lord who rules over other lords
2
: an absolute or supreme ruler

More from Merriam-Webster on overlord

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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