as in ruler
one who rules over a people with a sole, supreme, and usually hereditary authority
Charles inherited the position of potentate of the Holy Roman Empire from his grandfather, as well that of king of Spain from his father
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Recent Examples of potentate
With the pandemic, the year-round population of a once-seasonal resort town swelled with Manhattan refugees, those in the Trump orbit, and tech and finance potentates, many of them serious collectors like Ken Griffin and Steve Ross.
—
Ben Widdicombe, Vulture, 12 May 2025
But in his mid-80s, King George ponders whether to abdicate and devote his remaining days to finding female companionship (the aging potentate remains potent with the help of Viagra and similar pharmaceuticals).
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 5 May 2025
The cover of the first issue of The New Yorker, dated Feb. 21, 1925, carried no portraits of potentates or tycoons, no headlines, no come-ons.
—Christopher B. Daly, The Conversation, 11 Feb. 2025
Or were all those billionaire potentates in the Capitol Rotunda — seated in front of Trump’s Cabinet picks — asserting their social, economic and cultural hegemony?
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for potentate
Ben Widdicombe, Vulture, 12 May 2025
But in his mid-80s, King George ponders whether to abdicate and devote his remaining days to finding female companionship (the aging potentate remains potent with the help of Viagra and similar pharmaceuticals).
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 5 May 2025
The cover of the first issue of The New Yorker, dated Feb. 21, 1925, carried no portraits of potentates or tycoons, no headlines, no come-ons.
—Christopher B. Daly, The Conversation, 11 Feb. 2025
Or were all those billionaire potentates in the Capitol Rotunda — seated in front of Trump’s Cabinet picks — asserting their social, economic and cultural hegemony?
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for potentate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for potentate
Noun
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He’s been known in the United States for centuries as the English ruler who lost the American colonies.—
Laurie Kellman,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
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He's been known in the United States for centuries as the English ruler who lost the American colonies.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 June 2026
Noun
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Before Prince Philip captured Queen Elizabeth II's heart, another aristocratic suitor may have been in the running for the future monarch.—
Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2026
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In April, as both sides of the Atlantic watched on, the king and queen carried out their first state visit to the United States as monarchs.—
Jennifer Hassan,
USA Today,
1 June 2026
Noun
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But a series of 15th century directives from the Vatican authorized Portuguese sovereigns to conquer Africa and the Americas and enslave non-Christians.—
Nicole Winfield,
Los Angeles Times,
25 May 2026
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The sovereign first wore her favorite crown on November 4, 1952, for the opening ceremony of parliament that year.—
Giorgia Olivieri,
Vanity Fair,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Potentate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/potentate. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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