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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of despot
These despots will continue to lash out at America.
—
Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 4 Mar. 2026
Such an outcome would have broad economic consequences and allow despots yet unknown to reassert control even as Trump moves on to, say, Cuba.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 1 Mar. 2026
And the space truly was palatial—but think refined career aristocrat rather than louche despot.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Feb. 2026
The companies made deals with whichever military despot was in power in Caracas, angering young intellectuals such as Rómulo Betancourt, who harbored dreams of a democratic Venezuela.
—The Atlantic, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for despot
Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 4 Mar. 2026
Such an outcome would have broad economic consequences and allow despots yet unknown to reassert control even as Trump moves on to, say, Cuba.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 1 Mar. 2026
And the space truly was palatial—but think refined career aristocrat rather than louche despot.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Feb. 2026
The companies made deals with whichever military despot was in power in Caracas, angering young intellectuals such as Rómulo Betancourt, who harbored dreams of a democratic Venezuela.
—The Atlantic, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for despot
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despot
Noun
-
The world is being ravaged by a handful of tyrants.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
19 Apr. 2026
-
The cold indifference of history buried that grandiose tyrant in the oblivion of the desert — a haunting reminder that even the most grandiose of leaders are but fleeting shadows in the long arc of history.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Now, is that the same as a soldier betting on the capture of a vicious dictator?—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Now some people, or maybe just One People, might chuckle at that, thinking dictator Kim Jong Un’s FAILING Ryugyong hotel makes the One People’s library a shoo-in for Best in Show Vainglorious Architecture Awards.—
Pat Beall,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Despot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despot. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
