as in tyrant
a person who uses power or authority in a cruel, unjust, or harmful way
the despot exiled political dissidents to remote labor camps, where they were left to rot
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of despot
When a ruthless despot steals a billion-dollar fortune, the team is sent to steal it back on what would be for anyone else a suicide mission.
—
Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 27 Jan. 2026
Those are the musings of a despot, not a president.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 20 Jan. 2026
The piece details the rise and fall of Maduro, a violent despot who ruled with an iron fist.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 6 Jan. 2026
What do the scandal-scarred Minnesota governor, the anti-semitic, anti-wealth mayor of New York City and a corrupt Venezuelan despot all have in common?
—Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for despot
Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 27 Jan. 2026
Those are the musings of a despot, not a president.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 20 Jan. 2026
The piece details the rise and fall of Maduro, a violent despot who ruled with an iron fist.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 6 Jan. 2026
What do the scandal-scarred Minnesota governor, the anti-semitic, anti-wealth mayor of New York City and a corrupt Venezuelan despot all have in common?
—Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for despot
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despot
Noun
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All kings and tyrants fail in the end.—
Steve Lopez,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
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Killing the tyrant doesn’t assure the tyranny will end.—
Nolan Finley,
Twin Cities,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Video showed a man attempting to pull down a poster of the dictator — killed last week in an Israeli airstrike — when a man wearing a SpongeBob sweatshirt punched him in the face, sending him to the ground.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
7 Mar. 2026
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The Ayatollah ruled as a brutal dictator, killing and torturing his own people, imposing harsh restrictions on basic freedoms, and put the lives of our troops and global allies constantly at risk.—
Derek Tran,
Oc Register,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Despot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despot. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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