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
That's what a despot - who wants to steal the taxpayers money to enrich his billionaire cabal - does.
—
David Faris, Newsweek, 2 Feb. 2025
Without outside help or with the wrong kind of foreign aid, Syria will be more likely to slide back into civil war or come under the thumb of another despot.
—Nafees Hamid, Foreign Affairs, 31 Jan. 2025
The horror show of our impending political nightmare is casting a shadow over the New Year like another decrepit despot of suffering, the creeping bloodsucker of Nosferatu.
—A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 6 Jan. 2025
This dynamic is especially relevant for despots who do not intend to exit the scene peacefully when their tenure is up.
—Michael Poznansky, Foreign Affairs, 3 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for despot
David Faris, Newsweek, 2 Feb. 2025
Without outside help or with the wrong kind of foreign aid, Syria will be more likely to slide back into civil war or come under the thumb of another despot.
—Nafees Hamid, Foreign Affairs, 31 Jan. 2025
The horror show of our impending political nightmare is casting a shadow over the New Year like another decrepit despot of suffering, the creeping bloodsucker of Nosferatu.
—A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 6 Jan. 2025
This dynamic is especially relevant for despots who do not intend to exit the scene peacefully when their tenure is up.
—Michael Poznansky, Foreign Affairs, 3 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for despot
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despot
Noun
-
The Soviet dictator, the Man of Steel, was the type of tyrant that Trump chillingly admires.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
9 May 2025
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Roman became too much of a tyrant to continue working with, and Jimmy turned on him for fear of being overshadowed.—
Armon Sadler,
VIBE.com,
16 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Syrian rebels overthrew dictator Bashar al Assad in December.—
Tom Perry,
USA Today,
15 May 2025
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Libya has been embroiled in a political conflict since long-time dictator Moammar Gaddafi was overthrown in 2011, leading to the emergence of several armed groups.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
13 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Despot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despot. Accessed 17 May. 2025.
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