as in talking down (to)
to assume or treat with an air of superiority
waiters at that fancy restaurant like to lord it over the customers, acting like they're doing them a favor just being there
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lording (it over)
patronizing
Verb
-
Staff are well-trained and proactive without being patronizing, and the hotel’s smaller scale makes navigation easy.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Feb. 2026 -
As that reopening date nears, some longtime residents have waxed nostalgic over its legacy as a beacon of entertainment in a community that was barred from patronizing other theaters in North Texas.—
Uwa Ede-Osifo,
Dallas Morning News,
14 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Lording (it over).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lording%20%28it%20over%29. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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