robber baron
noun
1
: an American capitalist of the latter part of the 19th century who became wealthy through exploitation (as of natural resources, governmental influence, or low wage scales)
2
: a business owner or executive who acquires wealth through ethically questionable tactics
Examples of robber baron in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The robber barons and telecom wildcatters borrowed to build their empires, and dragged their financiers down with them when the music stopped.
—
Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 23 Sep. 2025
The show picks up threads from Downton, taking place in America in the late 19th century, in the age of the robber barons.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Sep. 2025
Some may argue that today’s tech companies are more of a threat to the world than the 1890s robber barons.
—Jamie Merisotis, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
The capricious enforcement of those rules born out of the robber baron days was one way to put the squeeze on.
—Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for robber baron
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.
Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 23 Sep. 2025
The show picks up threads from Downton, taking place in America in the late 19th century, in the age of the robber barons.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Sep. 2025
Some may argue that today’s tech companies are more of a threat to the world than the 1890s robber barons.
—Jamie Merisotis, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
The capricious enforcement of those rules born out of the robber baron days was one way to put the squeeze on.
—Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for robber baron
Cite this Entry
“Robber baron.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/robber%20baron. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share